Statistical Analysis of Chinese Herbal Application in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Treatments by Collecting Clinical Information

Objective To exam the application status,treatment strategies and clinical outcomes of Chinese herbal medicine in PCOS treatments by establishing and analyzing a relational database that collects information from clinical trials and case serial studies published between 1984 and 2009.Methods Publications were searched and retrieved from PUBMED,CNKI and Wanfang Data(1984-2009).Reference lists of each primary study were hand-searched.Clinical trials and case serial studies using pregnancy rate or confirmed ovulation as primary outcome measures and with treatment durations of at least three months or three menstrual cycles were selected for the study.Microsoft SQL Server program and Microsoft Excel were used as data collection and database management tools.Functions and action sections of Chinese herbs were entered into the database according to Materia Medical,a comprehensive and recognized Chinese herbal medicine textbook.Herbal usage frequency,treatment strategies and associated treatment outcomes were analyzed.Most frequently used herbs also associated with higher cure rates were screened by data sorting and data mining using Microsoft SQL Server program and Microsoft Excel.Results In 125 relevant publications,8 150 patients were treated with Chinese herbs alone,with integral Chinese herbs and western medicine,or with western medicine alone as controls.A total of 178 herbs from 30 action sections were used by different practitioners.By sorting the database and data mining using Microsoft Association Rules algorithm,16 of the 178 herbs were found to be the most frequently used herbs also associated with higher cure rates in treating PCOS.Conclusion 16 kinds of most frequently used herbs that were also associated with higher cure rates in treating PCOS were found,which were mostly from herbs that promote circulation and remove stasis,herbs that tonify Yang.