Clinical efficacy of Yinhua Miyanling tablet in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although Yinhua Miyanling tablet has demonstrated promising efficacy in managing uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), robust clinical evidence from large-scale studies remains scarce. This systematic review aims to comprehensively evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness and safety profile of Yinhua Miyanling tablet in the treatment of uncomplicated UTIs, providing an evidence-based assessment for clinical practice. METHODS: A comprehensive computerized search was conducted across multiple databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Data, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Big Medical Knowledge Base, Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. The search period spanned from the inception of each database to October 2023, aiming to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of Yinhua Miyanling tablets in treating uncomplicated UTIs. The selected studies were subjected to meta-analysis using RevMan 5.3 software (The Cochrane Collaboration, London, United Kingdom). The methodological quality of the included literature was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (version 5.1.0; The Cochrane Collaboration, London, United Kingdom) and the modified Jadad scale. Additionally, the GRADE system was employed to evaluate the overall quality of evidence. RESULTS: A total of 14 RCTs, involving 1773 patients, were included in the meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that Yinhua Miyanling tablets, whether used alone or in combination with Western medicine, significantly improved clinical efficacy and bacterial clearance rates while reducing recurrence rates (all P < .05). Notably, there was no statistically significant difference in adverse reactions between the treatment and control groups, suggesting a favorable safety profile. CONCLUSION: The Yinhua Miyanling tablet demonstrates therapeutic potential in managing uncomplicated UTIs. However, the current evidence is limited by the relatively low methodological quality of included studies. Further validation through large-scale, multicenter RCTs with rigorous designs is warranted to strengthen these findings. According to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation evidence assessment, the available data provide moderate confidence in the efficacy of Yinhua Miyanling tablet for treating uncomplicated UTIs.