Efficacy and Safety of Indigo Naturalis in Combination with Narrow-Band Ultraviolet B for Treatment of Pityriasis Rosea: A Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Characteristics of the studies included in the meta-analysis.

Author, year	cases		Intervention and measures		Outcomes
	Combination	Single	Combination	Single
Zhu et al., 2008 [17]	43	42	Compound indigo capsules p.o. 4 tables t.i.d.; dexamethasone (DXM) cream ad us. exts.l.d; NB-UVB irradiation (311 nm): starting irradiation dose 0.39–0.50 J/cm^2, increased by 0.1 J/cm^2 every time q.o.d.	Compound indigo capsules p.o. 4 tables t.i.d.; Dexamethasone (DXM) cream ad us.exts.l.d	①②③
Wa et al., 2010 [19]	33	32	Compound indigo capsules p.o. 4 tables t.i.d.; NB-UVB irradiation: starting irradiation dose 0.5–0.7 MED increased 0.1 J/cm^2  every time q.o.d.	NB-UVB irradiation: starting irradiation dose 0.5–0.7 MED increased by 0.1–0.2 J/cm^2  once q.o.d.	①②③
Liu et al., 2011 [20]	33	29/32	Compound indigo capsules p.o. 4 tables t.i.d.; NB-UVB irradiation (311–313 nm): starting irradiation dose 0.3–0.5 J/cm^2  increased by 10%–20% once q.o.d.	Control group 1: compound indigo capsules p.o. 4 tables t.i.d.; Control group 2: NB-UVB irradiation (311–313 nm): starting irradiation dose 0.3–0.5 J/cm^2  increased by 10%–20% once q.o.d.	①②③
Sun et al., 2012 [21]	31	29	Compound indigo pill p.o. 2 g t.i.d.; NB-UVB irradiation (311 nm): starting irradiation dose 0.35 J q.o.d. increased by; 0.1 J once q.o.d.	Compound indigo pill p.o. 2 g t.i.d.	①③
Zhao et al., 2012 [22]	39	38	Compound indigo pill p.o. 2 g t.i.d.; NB-UVB irradiation q.o.d., Calamine lotion ad us.ext	NB-UVB irradiation q.o.d., Calamine lotion ad us.ext	①②③
Zhao and Sun, 2013 [23]	60	60	Compound indigo capsules p.o. 4 tables t.i.d.; NB-UVB irradiation exposure done 0.2 J/cm^2  t.i.w.	Compound indigo capsules p.o. 4 tables t.i.d.	①③
Xu et al., 2014 [24]	40	42	Compound indigo capsules p.o. 4 tables t.i.d.; NB-UVB irradiation (311 nm): starting irradiation dose 0.4–0.6 J/cm^2  b.i.w.	NB-UVB irradiation (311 nm): starting irradiation dose 0.4–0.6 J/cm^2  b.i.w.	①②③
Li, 2014 [25]	54	51	Compound indigo pills p.o. 6 g t.i.d.; NB-UVB irradiation (311 nm): starting irradiation dose 0.4–0.5 J/cm^2  q.o.d. increased; Clobetasol propionate ointment	Compound indigo pills p.o. 6 g t.i.d.; Clobetasol propionate ointment	②③

Primary outcome: ① the cure rate; ② the effective rate; and ③ the incidence rate of adverse reaction.