Research Article

Fufang Xueshuantong for Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 2

GRADE assessment of quality of evidence for outcomes.

Question: should FFXST be used for diabetic kidney disease?
Bibliography: Fufang Xueshuanton for diabetic nephropathy. Cochrane database of systematic reviews (year), issue [issue].
Quality assessmentSummary of findings
Participants (studies) follow-upRisk of biasInconsistencyIndirectnessImprecisionPublication biasOverall quality of evidenceStudy event rates (%)Relative effect (95% CI)Anticipated absolute effects
With controlWith FFXSTRisk with controlRisk difference with FFXST (95% CI)

Total effective rate (CRITICAL OUTCOME)
177 (2 studies)Serious1No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessNo serious imprecisionUndetected⊕⊕⊕⊝ MODERATE1 due to risk of bias56/89 (62.9%)76/88 (86.4%)RR 1.37 (1.15 to 1.64)Study population
629 per 1000233 more per 1000 (from 94 more to 403 more)
Moderate
627 per 1000232 more per 1000 (from 94 more to 401 more)

UAER (IMPORTANT OUTCOME; better indicated by lower values)
383 (5 studies)Serious1Serious2No serious indirectnessNo serious imprecisionUndetected⊕⊕⊝⊝ LOW1, 2 due to risk of bias, inconsistency193190The mean uaer in the intervention groups was 30.98 lower (49.3 to 12.66 lower)

ACR (IMPORTANT OUTCOME; better indicated by lower values)
638 (6 studies)Serious1Serious3No serious indirectnessNo serious imprecisionUndetected⊕⊕⊝⊝ LOW1, 3 due to risk of bias, inconsistency318320The mean acr in the intervention groups was 1.33 standard deviations lower (1.9 to 0.76 lower)

mAlb (mg/L) (IMPORTANT OUTCOME; better indicated by lower values)
548 (6 studies)Serious1Serious4No serious indirectnessNo serious imprecisionUndetected⊕⊕⊝⊝ LOW1, 4due to risk of bias, inconsistency274274The mean malb (mg/l) in the intervention groups was 36.29 lower (54.45 to 18.13 lower)

BUN (mmol/L) (IMPORTANT OUTCOME; better indicated by lower values)
338 (4 studies)Serious1Serious2No serious indirectnessSerious5Undetected⊕⊝⊝⊝ VERY LOW1, 2, 5 due to risk of bias, inconsistency, imprecision167171The mean bun (mmol/l) in the intervention groups was 0.59 lower (1.46 lower to 0.27 higher)

HbA1C (IMPORTANT OUTCOME; better indicated by lower values)
671 (8 studies)Serious1
No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessSerious4Undetected⊕⊕⊝⊝ LOW1, 4 due to risk of bias, imprecision337334The mean hba1c in the intervention groups was 0.02 lower (0.12 lower to 0.08 higher)

LDL-C (IMPORTANT OUTCOME; better indicated by lower values)
353 (4 studies)Serious1No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessNo serious imprecisionUndetected⊕⊕⊕⊝ MODERATE1 due to risk of bias175178-The mean ldl-c in the intervention groups was 0.39 lower (0.58 to 0.2 lower)

TG (IMPORTANT OUTCOME; better indicated by lower values)
811 (9 studies)Serious1Serious6No serious indirectnessNo serious imprecisionUndetected⊕⊕⊝⊝ LOW1, 6 due to risk of bias, inconsistency407404The mean tg in the intervention groups was 0.39 lower (0.63 to 0.15 lower)

SBP (NOT IMPORTANT OUTCOME; better indicated by lower values)
275 (3 studies)SeriousSerious7No serious indirectnessSerious5Undetected⊕⊝⊝⊝ VERY LOW5, 7 due to risk of bias, inconsistency, imprecision138137The mean sbp in the intervention groups was 1.26 lower (3.86 lower to 1.34 higher)

CRP (mg/L) (NOT IMPORTANT OUTCOME; better indicated by lower values)
148 (2 studies)Serious1Serious8No serious indirectnessNo serious imprecisionUndetected⊕⊕⊝⊝ LOW1, 8 due to risk of bias, inconsistency7474The mean crp (mg/l) in the intervention groups was 1.92 lower (2.64 to 1.2 lower)

(1) The blind method of the included study was not mentioned. (2) Significant heterogeneity, I2 = 89%. (3) Significant heterogeneity, I2 = 91%. (4) Significant heterogeneity, I2 = 99%. (5) 95% CI crosses the invalid line. (6) Significant heterogeneity, I2 = 84%. (7) Significant heterogeneity, I2 = 58%. (8) Significant heterogeneity, I2 = 68%.