Assessment of clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine for the management of primary dysmenorrhea in the UK: A protocol of systematic review

BACKGROUND: This study aims to appraise the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the management of patients with primary dysmenorrhea (PD) in the UK. METHODS: We will comprehensively search electronic databases (Cochrane Library, PUBMED/MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, Web of Science, and CNKI) and additional resources for original articles on randomized controlled trials published in English, Chinese, German, Spanish, Korean and Japanese. Outcomes will be the pain intensity, pain duration, menstrual cramps, amount of bleeding, and severity of dysmenorrhea symptoms, quality of life, and adverse events. Two authors will independently check all citations, extract data, and assess study quality. All potential conflicts will be solved through discussion by consulting another experienced author. A narrative synthesis will summarize the characteristics and findings of eligible trials. If it is possible, we will also pool the data and carry out meta-analysis. RESULTS: The available evidence of the clinical efficacy of TCM for the treatment of PD in UK will be assessed through outcome measurements. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study will determine whether or not TCM is effective and safe for the treatment of PD in UK. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: osf.io/jyc95.