In this review, the researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medicinal plant for Liver–Qi regulation (MPLR) adjuvant therapy in patients with post–stroke depression (PSD). The study revealed that there is supporting evidence that in reducing the depressive symptoms and enhancing quality of life for patients with PSD, adjuvant therapy with MPLR is effective.
Methods
From January 2000 until July 2016, 7 databases were extensively searched.
Randomized control trials (RCTs) involving patients with PSD that compared treatment with and without MPLR were taken into account.
They calculated the pooled effect estimates based on Cochrane Collaboration’s software RevMan 5.3.
Results
The researchers included 42 eligible studies with 3612 participants.
In general, MPLR adjuvant therapy demonstrated a significantly higher effective rate (RR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.19, 1.27; p < 0.00001) contrasted with those without.
Besides, the administration of MPLR was superior to abstainers regarding Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score changes after 3 weeks (WMD = -4.83; 95% CI = -6.82, -2.83; p < 0.00001), 4 weeks (WMD = -3.25; 95% CI = -4.10, -2.40; p < 0.00001), 6 weeks (WMD = -4.04; 95% CI = -5.24, -2.84; p < 0.00001), 8 weeks (WMD = -4.72; 95% CI = -5.57, -3.87; p < 0.00001), and 12 weeks (WMD = -3.07; 95% CI = -4.05, -2.09; p < 0.00001).
Also, there were additive benefits in terms of response changes for the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and other self-rating scores.
In this study, no frequently occurring or serious adverse events were reported.
Source: MD Linx
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/ptr.5740/full
