Systematic evaluation on curative effects of traditional Chinese medicine retention enemas for patients with radiation proctitis

Objectives: To systematically evaluate the curative effects of traditional Chinese medicine retention enemas for patients with radiation proctitis. Methods: Reports on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on traditional Chinese medicine retention enemas in the treatment of radiation proctitis were searched in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO, ISI, CNKI, VIP, WanFang Data and CBM databases. The publication dates were from inception to May 2014, and a literature screening, data extraction, quality evaluation and cross checks were independently conducted by two reviewers in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A meta-analysis was then carried out using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: In total, 14 RCTs were included, and of these, only 10 RCTs involving 702 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that the total efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine retention enemas was higher for patients with radiation proctitis compared with that in control group, RR = 4.83, 95% CI (2.98, 7.84), P < 0.000 01; the results from four studies indicated that the improvement of clinical symptoms due to traditional Chinese medicine retention enemas was higher than that of the control group. Conclusions: The implementation of traditional Chinese medicine retention enemas could improve the total efficacy of treatment and provide relief in patients with radiation proctitis