Efficacy and safety of Ginkgo biloba for patients with early diabetic nephropathy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is not only an important microvascular complication of diabetes but also the main cause of end-stage renal disease. Ginkgo biloba has a variety of biological activities and has been widely used in China to treat kidney diseases such as DN. This article aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of G biloba in patients affected with DN in the early stage. METHODS: This protocol follows the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols and the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook. Seven electronic databases will be searched from inception to July 31, 2020. Two investigators will independently identify relevant randomized controlled trials, fetch data, and assess the risk of bias with tools provided by Cochrane. A comprehensive meta-analysis will be conducted with the Cochrane Collaboration software (Review Manager 5.3) for eligible and appropriate studies. Further, the evidence will be assessed with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. RESULTS: The results will be published in academic peer-reviewed journals, and the evidence gathered by this project will be dedicated to assessing the efficacy and safety of G biloba for DN patients in the early stage. CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis will synthesize the available evidence to demonstrate the efficacy of G biloba in delaying the progression of patients with early DN. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42020166805.