Table 2 Characteristics, interventions and adverse events of the included studies
Author; year | No. of participants; dropouts (T/C) | Treatment; follow-up duration | CM pattern | Treatment interventions and ingredients | NB-UVB prescription (initial dosage; increment regimen; maximum dosage; frequency; total treatment session) | Adverse events (no. of participant reported AE) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chen; 2010 | 46/44; 0/0 | 2; 6 months | BS | Hua yu xiao yin tang: dang gui 21 g, dan shen 21 g, chi shao 30 g, tao ren 12 g, hong hua 12 g, hong teng 15 g, tu fu ling 30 g, bai hua she she cao 21 g, she tui 15 g, jin yin hua 21 g, ban lan gen 21 g, huai hua 15 g, bai xian pi 30 g, gan cao 9 g | NB-UVB: 0.3; 0.2; 3 J/cm2; 3/week reduce to 1/week; NS | T: erythema (1), pruritus (3), dry skin (2); C: erythema (3), pruritus (4), dry skin (5), burning sensation (2), skin aging (1). AE rate: 13 vs 34 % (P > 0.05) |
Cui; 2005 | (3-Arms) 20/20/20; 0/0/0 | 8 weeks; NS | â‘ BH | 1. Liang xue huo xue tang: huai hua, bai mao gen, sheng di huang, zi cao, chi shao, dan shen | NB-UVB (311 nm): 0.3; 0.1 J/cm2; NS; 2/week; 16 session | T: erythema (2), pruritus and dry skin (2); C: erythema (5), blister (1), pruritus and dry skin (4). AE rate: 12.5 vs 31.3 % (P < 0.05) |
2. Yang xue jie du tang: ji xue teng, dang gui, dan shen, tian dong, mai dong, sheng di huang, tu fu ling, feng fang | ||||||
3. Huo xue san yu tang: san leng, e zhu, tao ren, hong hua, ji xue teng, gui jian yu, bai hua she she cao | ||||||
â‘¡ BD | ||||||
â‘¢ BS | ||||||
Fu; 2007 | 68/56; 0/0 | 8 weeks; 1 year | NS | Yang xue huo xue tang: shu di huang 30 g, e zhu 18 g, dang gui 15 g, he shou wu 24 g, xuan shen 18 g, san leng 9 g, dan shen 24 g, wu shao she 15 g, sheng huang qi 24 g, yi yi ren 18 g, shan yao 15 g, jin yin hua 15 g, gan cao 6 g | NB-UVB (311 nm): 0.05; 0.1 J/cm2; NS; qod; 28 sessions | Erythema, dry skin, burning sensation and hyperpigmentation occurred in most of participants after phototherapy in both groups |
Huang; 2006 | 38/42; 0/0 | 4 weeks; NS | NS | Huo ba hua gen pian: extract of Kun ming shan hai tang | NB-UVB (311 nm): 0.3;0.2; 2.5 J/cm2, 3/week; 12 sessions | T: erythema, pruritus and dry skin (22), mild nausea (3), transient ALT elevated (1);C: erythema, pruritus and dry skin (16). AE rate: 60 vs 42 % (P > 0.05) |
Liu; 2011 | 62/60; 0/0 | 8 weeks; NS | NS | Xiao yin ke li: sheng di huang, mu dan pi, shao yao, dang gui, ku shen, xuan shen, bai xian pi, hong hua, fang feng, jin yin hua, niu bang zi | NB-UVB (311 nm): 0.3; 0.1 J/cm2 or 15–20 %; 3 J/cm2; qod; 28 sessions | T: burning sensation at 1st treatment (9), pruritus (8), ALT or AST mild elevated (5), gastrointestinal upset (3); C: burning sensation at 1st treatment (8), pruritus (7). AE rate: 40 vs 25 % (P > 0.05) |
Liu; 2013 | (3-Arms) 48/48/48; 6/6/0 | 12 weeks; NS | NS | Tui yin tang: sheng di huang 30 g, tu fu ling 30 g, dang gui 15 g, he shou wu 15 g, bai ji li15 g, nv zhen zi 10 g, huang jing 10 g, mai dong 10 g, wu shao she 10 g, wu gong 10 g, jin yin hua 10 g, mu dan pi 10 g, tao ren 10 g, hong hua 10 g, gan cao 5 g | NB-UVB (311 nm): 0.5 J/cm2; 10–20 %; 2/week; 24 sessions | T: painful erythema (2), pruritus (2), abdominal distension (1); C: painful erythema (3), pruritus (2). AE rate: 11.9 vs 11.9 % |
Lu; 2009 | 36/26; 0/0 | 4 weeks; 3 months | BD | Unnamed CHM decoction: dang gui 10 g; sheng di huang 30 g; tian dong 15 g; mai dong 15 g; dan shen 15 g; ji xue teng 30 g; tu fu ling 30 g; bai zhu 10 g; bai xian pi 15 g | NB-UVB: 0.2; 0.1 J/cm2; NS; 3/week; 12 sessions | T: pruritus and dry skin (7), hyperpigmentation (3), mild nausea and vomit (2); C: pruritus and dry skin (4), hyperpigmentation (2). AE rate: 33 vs 23 % (P > 0.05) |
Lv; 2009 | 36/32; 0/0 | 8 weeks; NS | NS | Ke yin wan: tu fu ling, quan shen, bai xian pi, bei dou gen, etc. | NB-UVB (311–315 nm): 0.4–0.5 J/cm2; 10–20 %; 2.5 J/cm2; 2/week; 16 sessions | T: erythema and burning sensation (4), transient ALT or AST elevated (3); C: erythema and burning sensation (8). AE rate: 19 vs 25 % (P > 0.05) |
Lv; 2010 | 43/41; 0/0 | 6 weeks; NS | WH | Liang xue tong luo tang: shui niu jiao 10 g, dan shen 20 g, chi shao 15 g, mu dan pi 15 g, jiang can 15 g, di long 10 g, wu shao she 15 g | NB-UVB (311 nm): according to skin type 5–0.7; 0.1; 1.6 J/cm2; qod; 21 sessions | T: diarrhea (3), erythema (3), pruritus or skin pigmentation (4); C: blister (1), erythema (5), pruritus or skin pigmentation (9); AE rate: 23 vs 37 % (P > 0.05) |
Niu; 2012 | (3-Arms) 35/35/35; 0/0/0 | 8 weeks; 6 months | NS | Liang xue xiao feng tang: sheng di huang 30 g, xuan shen 9 g; bai shao 12 g; sheng shi gao 30 g; zhi mu 9 g; bai mao gen 30 g; niu bang zi 9 g; jing jie 9 g; fang feng 9 g; gan cao 6 g; sheng ma 3 g; jin yin hua 15 g; etc. | NB-UVB: 0.2–0.5 J/cm2; 10–20 %; NS; 2/week; 16 sessions | Painful erythema (6) |
Sheng; 2014 | (3-Arms) 30/30/30; 0/0/0 | 12 weeks; NS | NS | Tui yin tang: sheng di huang 30 g, tu fu ling 30 g, dang gui 15 g, he shou wu 15 g, bai ji li15 g, nv zhen zi 10 g, huang jing 10 g, mai dong 10 g, wu shao she 10 g, wu gong 10 g, jin yin hua 10 g, mu dan pi 10 g, tao ren 10 g, hong hua 10 g, gan cao 5 g | NB-UVB: MED 0.5 J/cm2; 10–20 %; NS; 2/week; 24 sessions | T: mild burning sensation, pruritus or gastrointestinal reaction (4); C: mild burning sensation, pruritus (4). AE rate: 13.3 vs 13.3 % |
Sun; 2010 | 32/20; 0/0 | NS; NS | NS | Hua yu bai bi jiao nang: sheng di huang, mai dong, tian dong, dang gui, he shou wu, xuan shen, huai hua, she chuang zi | NB-UVB: 0.35 J/cm2; 15 %; NS; NS; 29 sessions | T: pruritus (10, 31 %), dry skin (8, 25 %); C: pruritus (13, 55 %), dry skin (16, 80 %) |
Wang; 2006 | 32/32; 0/0 | 1; 1 month | NS | Liang xue huo xue fu fang: da qing ye 15 g, sheng di huang 30 g, huang qin 12 g, zi cao 9 g, dan shen 12 g, chi shao 6 g, mu dan pi 9 g, dang gui 12 g, tu fu ling 30 g, bai xian pi 9 g, jing jie 6 g | NB-UVB: 0.4; 0.1 J/cm2; NS; qod, 12-16 sessions | T: erythema (2), pruritus and dry skin (2); C: blister (1), erythema (5), pruritus and dry skin (4); AE rate: 12.5 vs 31 % (P > 0.05) |
Wang; 2008 | (3-Arms) 53/53/53; 0/0/0 | 1; 6 months | BH | Shen di chong ji: sheng di huang 15 g, xuan shen 12 g, mu dan pi 12 g, chi shao 12 g, dan shen 15 g, ban lan gen 15 g, tu fu ling 15 g, wu shao she 10 g, chan tui 10 g, etc. | NB-UVB: 0.4–0.4 J/cm2; 15–25 %; 2.9 J/cm2; qod; 10–15 sessions | Erythema, pruritus, dry skin and hyperpigmentation occurred in most of participants after phototherapy in both groups |
Xia; 2011 | 40/40; 0/0 | 2 months; 0 | BH | Liang xue xiao feng tang: sheng di huang 30 g, sheng shi gao 30 g, bai shao 12 g, bai mao gen 30 g, jin yin hua 15 g, jing jie 9 g, fang feng 9 g, xuan shen 9 g, zhi mu 9 g, niu bang zi 9 g, gan cao 6 g, sheng ma 3 g | NB-UVB (311–313 nm): 0.3; 0.1 J/cm2; NS; 2/week; 16 sessions | Skin redness and itch (5) |
Yan; 2011 | (3-Arms) 30/30/30; 0/1/0 | 8 weeks; 0 | NS | Wu she jie du wan: wu shao she, wu gong, jiang can, she tui, niu bang zi, ku shen, dang gui, sheng di huang, mai dong, he shou wu, dan shen, e zhu, huang qin, gan cao | NB-UVB: 0.35 J/cm2; 15 %; NS; qod; 29 sessions | Pruritus and dry skin (17), painless erythema (3) |
Yu; 2004 | 37/37; 0/0 | 8 weeks; 1 year | ①BD | 1. Xue zao fang: dang gui 20 g, mai dong 10 g, xuan shen 10 g, tu fu ling 30 g, bai hua she she cao 30 g | NB-UVB: according to skin type 0.03–0.05 J/cm2; 30–50 %; NS; 3/week reduce to 1/week; NS | T: skin redness and itch (5); C: skin redness and itch (3); AE rate: 13 vs 8 % (P > 0.05) |
2. Huo xue fang: zi cao 15 g, chi shao 20 g, mu dan pi 20 g, dan shen 20 g, di long 20 g, ji xue teng 20 g, yi mu cao 20 g | ||||||
â‘¡ BS | ||||||
Zhong; 2007 | 42/42; 0/0 | 2 months; 0 | BD | Xiao yin ke li: sheng di huang, dang gui, chi shao, chuan xiong, bai hua she she cao, zi cao, tu fu ling, e zhu, wu mei, gan cao. etc. | NB-UVB (311 nm): 50 %MED 0.4; 0.05–0.1; 2.2 J/cm2; 3/week; 24 sessions | T: Nausea, loose stools at the beginning of treatment (12) |