Adjuvant Treatment with Yupingfeng Formula for Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections in Children: A Meta‐analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

This meta‐analysis aimed to evaluate the immunomodulating function of Yupingfeng Formula (YPFF) in children with recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs). The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI and WanFang databases were searched for randomized controlled trials comparing with and without YPFF for RRTIs in children. Twelve trials with 1236 patients were identified. Adjuvant treatment with YPFF significantly increased serum levels of IgA (weighted mean difference WMD] 0.33 mg/mL; 95% confidence interval CI] 0.20 to 0.45), IgG (WMD 1.36 mg/mL; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.65), IgM (WMD 0.16 mg/mL; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.31), and CD3⁺ T‐lymphocytes (WMD 10.16%; 95% CI 4.62 to 15.69) but not CD4⁺ T‐lymphocytes (WMD 3.16%; 95% CI ?0.27 to 6.59) and CD8⁺ T‐lymphocytes (WMD ?0.84%; 95% CI ?2.50 to 0.81). YPFF also reduced the frequency of RRTIs (WMD ?3.80 times; 95% CI ?4.86 to ?2.74) and increased total effective rates of symptom improvement (risk ratio: 1.44; 95% CI 1.19 to 1.75). Adjuvant treatment with YPFF could improve total clinical effective rate and decrease the frequency of respiratory tract infections in children with RRTIs. The beneficial effects of YPFF may be correlated to its immunomodulating action. More well‐designed trials with larger sample sizes are needed to evaluate its efficacy and safety. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.