- 2026-03
- Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology 92(2)
- Huazhen Zhu
- Yongyu Wang
- Haoen Zhang
- Qi Kang
- Lei Xu
- Ji Chen
- Chen Chen
- Jianqing Tao
Study Design
- Type
- Meta-Analysis
- Methods
- A meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects model to explore the impact of CHM on response rates, nasal symptom scores, quality of life, blood Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, and adverse reactions.
Objective
To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) in treating Allergic Rhinitis (AR) through meta-analysis.Methods
A meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects model to explore the impact of CHM on response rates, nasal symptom scores, quality of life, blood Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, and adverse reactions.Results
A total of 1,326 articles were retrieved, of which 12 studies were included. The meta-analysis showed that the response rate in the experimental group was higher than in the control group (p < 0.001). The adverse reaction rate was lower in the experimental group compared with the control group (p = 0.003). Subgroup analysis by publication year indicated that studies published in 2024 and 2023 showed lower nasal congestion scores in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < 0.0001); nasal itching scores were lower in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis by age revealed that the 30+ and 40+ age groups had lower nasal itching scores, sneezing scores and rhinorrhea scores in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < 0.0001). Blood IgE levels were also lower in the experimental group compared with the control group (p = 0.002). Scores for the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) were lower in the experimental group (p < 0.0001).Conclusion
The current evidence suggests that CHM can enhance the efficacy of AR treatment, improve patients' quality of life, and result in a lower rate of adverse reactions.Level of evidence
I.