EFFICACY OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE KIDNEY TONIFYING THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSIS: A SPORTS HEALTH PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) kidney tonifying therapy on carotid atherosclerosis in athletes, utilizing a network meta-analysis approach. This research aims to provide an evidence-based medical foundation for its integration into sports health practices. Methods: Systematic searches were conducted across multiple databases including CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CBM, and Embase. The focus was on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that applied kidney tonifying therapy from TCM to treat carotid atherosclerosis in athlete populations up to August 2022. The risk of bias for the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Handbook's recommended tools. Data analysis and synthesis were performed using Stata and Revman software. Results: A total of 19 RCTs were included, encompassing 2037 participants and 18 different intervention modalities. The studies analyzed reveal significant outcomes in favor of TCM kidney tonifying therapy over conventional treatments, with improvements noted across various observational indexes relevant to athletic health and vascular function. Conclusion: TCM kidney tonifying therapy appears to offer beneficial effects on carotid atherosclerosis in athletes compared to standard Western medical approaches. However, the robustness of this conclusion is contingent upon further validation through high-quality trials specifically designed for sports-related healthcare settings.