Traditional Chinese medicine Qushi Huatan Formula for treatment of hyperlipidemia: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Hyperlipidemia, a clinically common chronic disease, is increasingly posing a significant health risk worldwide. Statins are widely used medications for managing lipid levels in clinical settings. However, recent studies have found that relying solely on Western medicine has limitations, including prolonged treatment duration, susceptibility to drug resistance, and potential side effects. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has gained more recognition for its healing properties and potential for the future. Currently, numerous research studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of TCM decoction in treating hyperlipidemia associated with the Qushi Huatan Formula (QHF). However, the findings from these studies have not shown complete consistency, and no pertinent meta-analysis is available. Therefore, we will conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of QHF in treating hyperlipidemia, to provide evidence-based medical support for clinical treatment. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis: The PRISMA Statement. According to the predefined inclusion criteria, we will conduct a comprehensive search for randomized controlled trials examining the effectiveness and safety of QHF in treating hyperlipidemia. The search will be performed across multiple databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang, Sinomed, VIP, Duxiu, Scopus, PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane, and Web of Science from inception to February 2025. Additionally, relevant literature references will be retrieved and hand searching of pertinent journals will be conducted. Two independent reviewers will perform screening, data extraction, and quality assessment. Our reviewers will perform subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias analysis to evaluate the heterogeneity and robustness. Review Manager 5.4 will be applied in analyzing and synthesizing. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation will be used to assess the quality of evidence for the whole study. Results: We will compile and discuss the recent examples of the TCM QHF therapy for hyperlipidemia. Conclusion: The results of this research will offer a strong evidence-driven foundation for the logical and accurate use of QHF therapy in treating hyperlipidemia.