Effects of Gushukang for postmenopausal osteoporosis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) is one of the most common systemic bone diseases with a high risk of fracture. Traditional herbal formula Gushukang (GSK) has been used to treat PMO. However, there is no systematic review related to GSK for PMO. The object of this work is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of GSK in the management of PMO. METHODS: We will search the PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials, China national knowledge infrastructure database (CNKI), Wan fang database, Chongqing VIP information, and SinoMed from their inception to May 2020. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of GSK for the treatment of PMO will be included. The improvement of vertebral fracture and bone mineral density (BMD) will be accepted as the primary outcomes. The meta-analyses will be performed by using the RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: This study will provide a high-quality comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of GSK for treating patients with PMO. CONCLUSION: The conclusion of our systematic review will provide evidence to judge whether GSK is an effective intervention for patients with PMO. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: 10.17605/OSF.IO/MKN3F.