Table 2.
Intervention characteristics of included studies.
| Study ID (name, year) | Intervention | Duration/follow-up | Outcome measures | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trial group | Control group | ||||
| OATCM | Wang Zhenhua, 2018 | TCM-1,150 ml, bid + C | OI, 13 ml, qw + DSESRC, 1tablet, qd | 2 weeks/1 year | TER, VAS, TNF- α, IL-6, MMP-3, BMP-7, SSTCM, and RR |
| Kuang Yao, 2018 | TCM-2,150 ml, bid + Ac | GSC, 0.5 g, tid | 4 weeks/6 months | TER, VAS, WOMAC, SS, and RR | |
| Wen Yangyang, 2019 | TCM-3, bid + TCMT | CC1, 200 mg,qd + TCMT | 4 weeks/NR | TER, VAS, WOMAC, IL-1, TGF-β, MMP-3, and SOD | |
| Cui Hongfang, 2018 | TCM-4,150 mg, bid + C | DSSRT, 75 mg, qd | 3 months/NR | TER, MMP-3, IL-6, and SSTCM | |
| Zheng Tao, 2019 | TCM-5,250 ml,bid | CC1, 100 mg, bid | 1 month/NR | TER, VAS, and WOMAC | |
| Yuan Fang, 2018 | TCM-6,200 ml, bid | GSC, 0.5 g, tid | 3 months/3 months | TER, VAS, WOMAC, SSTCM, ESR, and CRP | |
| Li Zhimin, 2018 | TCM-7,250 ml, bid + C | DRC + CC1, 1 tablet, bid | 8 weeks/NR | TER, Lequesne, VAS, WOMAC, IL-1, TNF-α, IL-6, and MMP-3 | |
| Li Linzhong, 2014 | TCM-8, qd + C | CC2, 100 mg, bid | 6 months/NR | TER, WOMAC, and IL-6 | |
| Li Ping, 2019 | TCM-9,150 ml, bid + routine treatment | CC1, 0.2 g, qd + routine treatment | 4 weeks/NR | TER, WOMAC, TNF-α, IL-1, and SS | |
| Liu Sheng, 2019 | TCM-10,150 ml, bid | GSC, 0.5 g, bid | 4 weeks/6 months | TER, VAS, WOMAC, MMP-3, RR, and SS | |
|
| |||||
| EUTCM | Yu Ming, 2018 | TCMI-1,30 min, qd + C | AD + routine treatment | 2 weeks/NR | TER, VAS, WOMAC, IL-1, TNF-α, Lysholm, and TGF-β |
| Li Meng, 2017 | TCMI, 30 min, qd + C | AD | 12 months/NR | VAS, IL-1, TNF-α, TGF-β, and Lysholm | |
| Lei Shoubin, 2014 | TCMI-2,30 min, bid + C | SH, 20 mg, qw | 5 weeks/NR | TER, WOMAC, IL-1, and TNF-α | |
| Zeng Jiaofei, 2014 | TCMI-3,30 min, bid | SH, 2.5 ml, qw | 4 weeks, 5 weeks/NR | TER, VAS, IL-1, TNF-α, and Lysholm | |
| He Junlei, 2016 | TCMI-4,30 min, qd + C | MLFET + MT | 8 weeks/NR | TER, VAS, and WOMAC | |
| Chen Xi, 2015 | TCMI-5,20 min, qd + TCMT | GC, 0.628 g, tid, po | 14 days/NR | TER, IL-1, MMP-3, Lequesne, and SOD | |
| Zhou Gang, 2018 | FWP-1,20-30 min, bid + FPR, bid | BW, 20–30 min, bid, ext + DDO, 2g, bid | 2 weeks/NR | TER, TNF-α, WOMAC, and SS | |
| Ding Liming, 2016 | FWP-2,10 min, bid + AD | AD | 2 weeks/NR | MMP-3, VAS, and Lysholm | |
| Zhang Yanzhen, 2018 | FWP-3, 20 min, qd | DDO, 0.9 g, tid, ext | 2 weeks/NR | TER, WOMAC, Lequesne, and SSTCM | |
| Zhang Zhi, 2018 | FWP-4,30 min, bid + IHN | DW, 30 min, bid, ext + IHN | 2 weeks/NR | TER, MMP-3, VAS, and Lysholm | |
| Chen Hongmei, 2017 | FWP-5, biw + C | ESWT, biw | 8 weeks/NR | TER, IL-6, TNF-α, VAS, and Lysholm | |
| Zhang Hui, 2016 | FWP-6,30 min, bid | GL, 30 min, bid, ext | 2 weeks/NR | TER, WOMAC, VAS, and SSTCM | |
| Liu Lin, 2018 | FWP-7,30 min, qd + C | GS, 0.314 mg, tid,po | 15 days/NR | TER, CRP, ESR, SOD, and SSTCM | |
| Cui Shuping, 2016 | FWP-8,30-60 min, bid + SH, qw, ia + QZP, ext | LST, 60 mg, tid, po + SH,qw,ia | 3 weeks/NR | TER, CRP, ESR, and VAS | |
| Wang Tao, 2017 | FWP-9, qd + GHC, 0.75 g, bid, po | NSRC, 0.5 g,qd + GHC, 0.75 g, bid | 2 weeks/NR | TER, TNF-α, IL-1, and TGF-β | |
| Liu Enxiong, 2016 | EAP-1, 10 min, tid + C | GHC, 750 mg, bid, po | 42 days/NR | TER, IL-1, TNF-α, VAS, and Lequesne | |
| Liu Gui, 2017 | EAP-2,20 min, tid + C | GS, 0.628 g, tid, po | 12 weeks/NR | TER, MMP-3, IL-1, and TNF-α | |
| Liu Yongyu, 2014 | SO, qd, ext + C | SH, qw, ia | 35 days/NR | SS, IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, WOMAC, and Lysholm | |
| Guo Wenhui, 2018 | EAP-3,30 min, qd + C | OI, 15 ml, qw | 4 weeks/NR | TER, CRP, ESR, IL-1, TNF-α | |
| Wang Yuan, 2018 | EAP-4,8h,bid + XC, 1.5 mg, tid, po | GS, 0.628 mg,tid,po | 2 weeks/NR | TER, SOD, WOMAC, VAS, and Lequesne | |
|
| |||||
| ACU | Chen Juan, 2017 | WAC, qd + C | SH, injection, qw | 4 weeks/NR | TER, VAS, Lysholm, and TNF-α |
| Deng Jingming, 2015 | WAC, tiw | ISRC, po, bid | 4 weeks/NR | TER, VAS, and Lysholm | |
| Ding Minghui, 2009 | WAC, qd | B | 2 weeks/NR | TER and WOMAC | |
| Guo Qian, 2019 | WAC, qd | B | 3 weeks/NR | WOMAC, IL-1, TNF-α, IGF-1, FGF-2, and TGF-β | |
| Li Jianwu, 2008 | WAC, qd | XGC, po, bid | 4 weeks/NR | TER and VAS | |
| Li Jiangming, 2016 | WAC + PCB | Routine Treatment | 3 months/NR | WOMAC | |
| Liang Chao, 2016 | WAC, qd | GHT, po, tid | 4 weeks/NR | TER | |
| Lin Ruyi, 2019 | WAC, qd | DSC, po, bid | 4 weeks/NR | WOMAC, OPG, MMP-3, FGF-2, VEGF, and Ang I | |
| Liu Jin, 2014 | ACU + DSTC, tid, po | FSRT, po, qd | 2 weeks/NR | TER, WOMAC, IL-1, and TNF-α | |
| Luo Falan, 2018 | ACU, qd + C | CC1, po, qd | 8 weeks/NR | TER, IGF-1, RANKL, BGP, and OPG | |
| Wang Lina, 2018 | WAC, qd + C | CC1, po, qd | 4 weeks/NR | TER, WOMAC, IL-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 | |
| Wang Xiaoling, 2017 | WAC, qd | CC1, 200 mg,po | 3 weeks/NR | WOMAC | |
| Xu Chen, 2018 | WAC + APP, qd | SH, qw or GHT, po, bid | 4 weeks/3 months | TER, CRP, ESR, and RR | |
| Xu Yahong, 2016 | WAC + C, qd | USW, qd | 1 month/NR | TER, VAS, WOMAC, Lysholm, IL-1, TNF-α, BGP, and OPG | |
AD, arthroscopic debridement; ACU, acupuncture; APP, auricular point pressing; Ang I, angiopoietin I; BW, boiled water; B, blank; bid, twice a day; BGP, Bone gla protein; BMP-7, bone morphogenetic protein-7; C, treatment of the control group; CC1, velecoxib capsule; CC2, Celebrex capsule; CRP, C-reactive protein; DW, distilled water; DDO, diclofenac diethylamine ointment; DRC, Divinegar Ruiyin capsule; DSESRC, diclofenac sodium enteric sustained release capsule; DSC, diclofenac sodium capsule; DSSRT, diclofenac sodium sustained release tablets; DSTC, dragon and soft-shelled turtle capsule; ext, external use; EUTCM, external use of traditional Chinese medicines; ESWT, extracorporeal shock wave therapy; EAP, external application prescription; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; FSRT, futalin sustained release tablets; FWP, fumigation and washing prescription; FGF-2, fibroblast growth factor-2; GC, glucosamine capsule; GL, Guyouling liniment; GS, glucosamine sulfate; GSC, glucosamine sulfate capsule; GHC, glucosamine hydrochloride capsule; GHT, glucosamine hydrochloride tablets; IL, interleukin; IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor 1; IHN, internal heat needle; ISRC, ibuprofen sustained release capsule; ia, intra-articular injection; LST, Loxoprofen sodium tablets; MLFET, middle- and low-frequency electric therapy apparatus; MT, mobilization technique; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; NSRC, naproxen sustained release capsule; NR, no report.; OATCM, oral administration of traditional Chinese medicines; OI, ozone injection; OPG, osteoprotegerin; po, oral administration; QZP, Qizhu Zhanjin Powders; qd, once a day; qw, once a week; RANKL, receptor activator of nuclear factor-κ B ligand; RR: recurrence rate; SH, sodium hyaluronate; SO, Shangbai ointment; SSTCM, syndrome score of traditional Chinese medicine; SOD, superoxide dismutase; SH, sodium hyaluronate; SS, swelling score; tid, three times a day; TCM, traditional Chinese medicine; TER, total effective rate; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α; TGF-β, transforming growth factor-β; TCMI, traditional Chinese medicine iontophoresis; traditional Chinese medicine treatment; USW, ultrashort wave; VAS, visual analogue scale; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; WAC, warm acupuncture; WOMAC, Western Ontario and McMaster University osteoarthritis index; XC, Xinfeng capsule; XGC, Xianling Gubao capsule.