TABLE 2.
Characteristics of the eligible studies included in the meta-analysis.
| Study | No. of participants (R/A) | Gender (M/F) | Age (years) | Course of disease (years) | Interventions | Comparison group | Outcomes | Intergroup differences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wang and Chen (2013) | T:75/75 | Data lost | Data lost | NR | plus | Caltrate D (1.5 g calcium carbonate and 125u vitamin D3) 1# qd, p.o | BMD | p < 0.05 |
| C:75/75 | VAS | p < 0.05 | ||||||
| Fang (2013) | T:50/49 | T:22/28 | T:73.34 ± 6.85 | T:12.87 ± 11.36 | plus | Alendronate tablet | BMD, | p < 0.05 |
| C:46/44 | C:20/26 | C:74.12 ± 6.69 | C:13.79 ± 10.03 | 10mg, qd, p.o | ER, Adverse events | p < 0.05 | ||
| Zhu et al. (2014a) | T:40/40 | T:12/28 | T:58–82 (68.6) | NR | plus | Caltrate D | BMD | p < 0.05 |
| C:40/40 | C:13/27 | C:56–81 (67.2) | 600mg, qd, p.o | PRT | p < 0.05 | |||
| Zhu et al. (2014b) | T:40/40 | T:12/28 | T:58–82 (68.6) | NR | plus | Caltrate D | ER | p < 0.05 |
| C:40/40 | C:13/27 | C:56-81(67.2) | 600mg, qd, p.o | IL-6 | p > 0.05 | |||
| Dai et al. (2016) | T:30/30 | 0/59 | T:56. 97 ± 3. 89 | NR | plus | placebo capsules 3# bid, p.o | BMD | NR |
| C:30/29 | C:56.73 ± 4.26 | Caltrate D 600mg, qd, p.o | ||||||
| Zhou (2016) | T:30/30 | 0/59 | T:56. 97 ± 3. 89 | NR | plus | placebo capsules 3# bid, p.o | VAS | NR |
| C:30/29 | C:56.73 ± 4.26 | Caltrate D 600mg, qd, p.o | ER | |||||
| Zeng (2017) | T:33/33 | T:6/27 | 65–92 | NR | plus | Salmon Calcitonin Injection | BMD | p = 0.014 |
| C:34/34 | C:5/29 | 50iu, i.m | Adverse events | NR | ||||
| Ca2+ | p = 0.000 | |||||||
| IL-6 | p = 0.003 | |||||||
| VAS | p = 0.001 | |||||||
| Liu (2019) | T:61/61 | T:16/45 | T:67.46 ± 4.32 | T:17.67 ± 2.13 | alone | Calcium Carbonate - Vitamin D3 Tablets | BMD | p < 0.05 |
| C:61/61 | C:20/41 | C:68.66 ± 6.21 | C:16.21 ± 1.98 | (Ca 600mg/Vitamin D3 125 u) | P | p < 0.05 | ||
| 1# bid, p.o | Ca2+ | p < 0.05 | ||||||
| ALP | p < 0.05 | |||||||
| Wang (2002) | T:150/150 | NR | T:59.5 ± 5.7 | NR | alone | Gaitianli (Oyster Shell Calcium Carbonate Chewable Tablets) | BMD, Adverse events | NR |
| C:74/74 | C:59.5 ± 6.6 | 200mg, tid, p.o | E2 | p < 0.01 | ||||
| Ca2+ | p > 0.05 | |||||||
| ER | p < 0.05 | |||||||
| Zeng et al. (2017) | T:45/45 | T:15/30 | T:74.5 ± 3.3 | NR | alone | Calcitriol Capsules | BMD | p < 0.05 |
| C:45/45 | C:15/30 | C:74.3 ± 3.2 | 0.25ug, bid, p.o | ER | p < 0.05 | |||
| PRT | p < 0.05 | |||||||
| VAS | p < 0.05 | |||||||
| Bai (2009) | T:28/24 | T:0/24 | 51–63 | NR | alone | Alendronate Sodium Tablets | BMD | p > 0.05 |
| C:22/19 | C:0/19 | 70mg, qw, p.o | ALP | p > 0.05 | ||||
| IL-6 | p > 0.05 | |||||||
| E2 | p > 0.05 | |||||||
| ER | p < 0.01 | |||||||
| Zhao (2003) | T:15/15 | T:0/15 | NR | alone | Premarin (Conjugated equine estrogens) | BMD | NR | |
| C:10/10 | C:0/10 | NR | 0.625mg, qd, p.o | Ca2+ | p < 0.05 | |||
| PRT | NR | |||||||
| ER | NR | |||||||
| P | p > 0.05 | |||||||
| ALP | p < 0.05 |
R = number of subjects randomized; A = number of subjects analyzed.
ALP, alkaline phosphatase; alone: Epimedium treatment alone; bid, bis in die; Ca2+, blood calcium ion; E2, Estradiol; ER, effective rate; g, gramme; IL-6, interleukin 6; im, intramuscular injection; M, months; NR, Not report; P, blood phosphorus; plus: Epimedium treatment plus conventional pharmaceutical treatment (the same as drugs in comparison group); p. o., per os; PRT, pain relief time; qd, quaque die; qw: once a week; T/C, treatment group/control group; tid, ter in die; VAS, visual analog scale.