Objective. The aim of this study is to systematically evaluate the evidence whether traditional Chinese herbal patches (TCHPs)\r\nfor osteoarthritis (OA) are effective and safe and analyze their medication patterns. Methods. A systematic literature search was\r\nperformed using all the possibleMedical SubjectHeadings (MeSH) and keywords fromJanuary 1979 to July 2013. Both randomized\r\ncontrolled trials (RCTs) and observational studies were included. Estimated effects were analyzed using mean difference (MD) or\r\nrelative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and meta-analysis. Results. 86 kinds of TCHPs were identified. RCTs and\r\ncontrolled clinical trials (CCTs) which were mostly of low quality favored TCHPs for local pain and dysfunction relief. TCHPs,\r\ncompared with diclofenac ointment, had significant effects on global effectiveness rate (RR = 0.50; 95% CI (0.29, 0.87)).Components\r\nof formulae were mainly based on the compounds ââ?¬Å?Xiao Huo Luo Danââ?¬Â (Minor collateral-freeing pill) and ââ?¬Å?Du Huo Ji Sheng Tangââ?¬Â\r\n(Angelicae Pubescentis and Loranthi decoction). Ten kinds of adverse events (AEs), mainly consisting of itching and/or local skin\r\nrashes, were identified after 3-4 weeks of follow-up. Conclusions. TCHPs have certain evidence in improving global effectiveness\r\nrate for OA; however, more rigorous studies are warranted to support their use.
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