Effect of Liuweiwuling tablet on biochemical and virological parameters, and quality of life in patients with hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Liuweiwuling (LWWL) tablet, a kind of plant-derived traditional Chinese medicine preparation, has been widely applied as a promising adjunctive drug for hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis (HBVC). However, its exact clinical efficacy and safety is still not well investigated. In this study, we aimed to summarize the efficacy of LWWL tablet on biochemical and virological parameters, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with HBVC through the meta-analysis. METHODS: All available randomized controlled trials and high-quality prospective cohort studies that investigated the efficacy and safety of LWWL for patients with HBVC were searched from the following electronic databases: PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Excerpt Medica Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Scientific Journal Database, and Wanfang Database. Papers in Chinese or English published from January 2000 to August 2020 will be included without any restrictions. Study selection and data extraction will be performed independently by 2 authors. The clinical outcomes including biochemical (liver function and fibrosis indexes) and virological parameters, QoL, immune function and adverse events, were systematically evaluated. Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 14.0 were used for data synthesis, sensitivity analysis, meta regression, subgroup analysis, and risk of bias assessment. RESULTS: The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, and provide a helpful evidence for clinicians to formulate the best postoperative adjuvant treatment strategy for HBVC patients. CONCLUSION: Our study will draw an objective conclusion of the efficacy of LWWL on biochemical and virological parameters, and QoL in patients with HBVC. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY202080010.