Comparison 1. CHM versus placebo.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Total effectiveness rate (number of participants recovered and significantly improved)	2	85	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	2.09 [1.32, 3.32]
2 Itching VAS	2	94	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.53 [‐2.64, ‐0.41]
3 Overall severity score	4	239	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.88 [‐1.67, ‐0.09]
4 Overall severity score (short‐term improvement)	1		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
5 QoL	1		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
6 QoL (short‐term improvement)	1		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
7 Adverse events	2	129	Risk Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.71 [0.06, 8.67]
8 Adverse events in one study	1		Risk Ratio (Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected