6. Chinese medicine (other outcomes).
| Outcome | Study ID | Intervention | Time point | Study | Control | Results | Comments |
| Dysphasia (difficulty in swallowing) (score for EORTC‐H&N35 questionnaire: mean (SD)) |
Lin 2014 | Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 50.2 (26.3); n = 35 | 38.9 (25.9); n = 33 | P = 0.07 | |
| Lin 2014 | Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 30.2 (29.8); n = 23 | 26.7 (24.8); n = 21 | P = 0.65 | ||
| Dysgeusia (taste disturbance) (0 to 3 scale): grade 1 and above | Lin 2014 | Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 32/38 | 29/33 | RR 0.96 (95% CI 0.79 to 1.16); P = 0.13 | |
| Speech difficulty (mean (SD) score for EORTC‐H&N35 questionnaire) |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 36.3 (26.7); n = 35 | 28.6 (26.2); n = 33 | P = 0.23 | |
|
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 27.4 (28.6); n = 23 | 22.7 (19.5); n = 21 | P = 0.50 | ||
| Difficulty in mouth opening (mean (SD) score for EORTC‐H&N35 questionnaire) |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 39.6 (28.2); n = 35 | 41.4 (27.7); n = 33 | P = 0.79 | |
|
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 32.2 (31.5); n = 23 | 33.3 (24.1); n = 21 | P = 0.88 | ||
| Difficulty in mouth opening (0 to 2 scale): grade 1 and above |
Hu 2005 | Chinese medicine (Shenqi Fanghou recipe) | "During the treatment" | 22/70 | 52/70 | RR 0.42 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.61); P < 0.001 | |
| Skin toxicity (0 to 3 scale): grade 1 and above |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 35/38 | 30/33 | RR 1.01 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.17); P = 0.82 | |
| Skin toxicity (0 to 4 scale): grade 1 and above | Hu 2005 | Chinese medicine (Shenqi Fanghou recipe) | "During the treatment" | 57/70 | 68/70 | RR 0.84 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.94); P = 0.002 | |
| Skin toxicity (prevalence according to RTOG standards) | Han 2010 | Chinese medicine (Jinlong capsule) | 46.82% | 58.32% | Quote: "toxicities during and after treatment were assessed" Comment: time point for assessment unclear; minor discrepancies in presented data |
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| Nausea/vomiting (0 to 3 scale): grade 1 and above |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 12/38 | 4/33 | RR 2.61 (95% CI 0.93 to 7.30); P = 0.183 | |
| Hoarseness |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 1/38 | 3/33 | RR 0.29 (95% CI 0.03 to 2.65); P = 0.26 | |
| Fatigue (mean (SD) score for EORTC‐C30 questionnaire) |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 43.2 (26.2); n = 35 | 42.4 (23.0); n = 33 | P = 0.88 | |
|
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 31.2 (28.3); n = 23 | 36.4 (25.0); n = 21 | P = 0.51 | ||
| Pain (mean (SD) score for EORTC‐C30 questionnaire) |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 46.8 (23.2); n = 35 | 41.7 (27.4); n = 33 | P = 0.40 | |
|
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 35.9 (27.0); n = 23 | 40.9 (29.9); n = 21 | P = 0.54 | ||
| Pain (mean (SD) score for EORTC‐H&N35 questionnaire) |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 55.4 (25.1); n = 35 | 42.4 (20.5); n = 33 | P = 0.02 | |
|
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 31.6 (24.2); n = 23 | 37.8 (23.3); n = 21 | P = 0.35 | ||
| Dyspnea (mean (SD) score for EORTC‐C30 questionnaire) |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 17.1 (23.1); n = 35 | 16.7 (20.7); n = 33 | P = 0.93 | |
|
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 20.5 (21.2); n = 23 | 13.6 (22.2); n = 21 | P = 0.28 | ||
| Insomnia (mean (SD) score for EORTC‐C30 questionnaire) |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 40.5 (25.0); n = 35 | 31.2 (25.3); n = 33 | P = 0.13 | |
|
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 30.8 (24.8); n = 23 | 31.8 (28.1); n = 21 | P = 0.28 | ||
| Appetite loss (mean (SD) score for EORTC‐C30 questionnaire) |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 45.0 (30.7); n = 35 | 45.8 (29.0); n = 33 | P = 0.91 | |
|
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 28.2 (26.1); n = 23 | 34.9 (30.0); n = 21 | P = 0.42 | ||
| Constipation (mean (SD) score for EORTC‐C30 questionnaire) |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 37.8 (27.4); n = 35 | 29.2 (20.3); n = 33 | P = 0.15 | |
|
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 29.5 (30.3); n = 23 | 25.7 (20.4); n = 21 | P = 0.63 | ||
| Diarrhoea (mean (SD) score for EORTC‐C30 questionnaire) |
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | End of RT | 9.0 (15.0); n = 35 | 6.2 (13.2); n = 33 | P = 0.42 | |
|
Lin 2014 |
Chinese medicine (TWBXM) | 1 month after RT | 9.0 (15.1); n = 23 | 6.1 (16.7); n = 21 | P = 0.53 | ||
| Adverse effects | Han 2010 | Chinese medicine (Jinlong capsule) | Leukopenia, nausea, vomiting, 1 participant had dizziness and blood pressure drop, 1 participant had skin rash | Not reported | |||
| Adverse effects | Hu 2005 | Chinese medicine (Shenqi Fanghou recipe) | "During the treatment" | No adverse event | Not reported |
CI = confidence interval; EORTC = European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer; H&N = head and neck; RR = risk ratio; RT = radiotherapy; RTOG = Radiation Therapy Oncology Group; SD = standard deviation; TWBXM = Tianwang Buxin Mini‐pills.