Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2025 May, 266(2)

Effectiveness of Warm Yang and Promote Diuresis Blood-Activating Methods in Chronic Heart Failure

Xiaoyu Liu,¹ Hailiang Fang¹ and Yang Zhang¹

¹Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a prevalent condition with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Conventional treatments may not always be effective or may have considerable side effects. Warm yang and promote diuresis blood-activating method (WYLBAM), a traditional intervention, has been proposed as a complementary approach for CHF, but its clinical efficacy and impact on cardiac function have not been systematically evaluated. We performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to assess the clinical efficacy of WYLBAM for CHF. Following PRISMA guidelines, databases were searched for clinical trials comparing WYLBAM with standard care. Data on clinical efficacy rate, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions (LVEDD and LVESD), 6-minute walk test, and biomarkers BNP and NT-proBNP were extracted. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic, and publication bias was evaluated with funnel plots and sensitivity analyses. Our search yielded 947 records, with 26 studies included after screening and eligibility assessment. Meta-analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in clinical efficacy rate, LVEF, LV dimensions, and 6-minute walk test distances in patients treated with WYLBAM. Biomarkers BNP and NT-proBNP also improved significantly, indicating a potential reduction in cardiac stress. The I² values suggested substantial heterogeneity, which was addressed through random-effects modeling. Publication bias was not evident in the funnel plot analyses. WYLBAM may be a beneficial adjunctive treatment for improving cardiac function and physical capacity in patients with CHF. However, the presence of heterogeneity suggests that individual patient factors should be considered when applying WYLBAM. Further well-designed large-scale RCTs are warranted to confirm these findings and to explore the underlying mechanisms of action.

Key words —— blood-activating; cardiac function; clinical efficacy; heart failure; meta-analysis; promote diuresis; traditional therapy; warm yang

© 2025 Tohoku University Medical Press

===============================

Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2025 May, 266(2), 107-119.

Correspondence: Yang Zhang, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No.467, Zhongshan Road, Shahekou District, Dalian, Liaoning Province 116023, China.

e-mail: zhangyang19831117@126.com