Table 1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria based on the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework
| Â | Inclusion criteria | Exclusion criteria |
|---|---|---|
Population | Studies were included if they: • Included subjects given the diagnosis of UC defined by clear diagnostic criteria or references, regardless of age, gender, course of disease, and severity | Focus exclusively on: • Non-human studies |
Concept | Studies were included if they: • Used ICWM intervention in the management of UC. The ICWM intervention is defined as the combination of CM therapies and WM treatments. Specifically, we included a wide range of CM interventions, such as herbal medicines, acupuncture, and moxibustion, while only pharmacological therapy of WM was in the intervention group. AND • No limitations in the types of control groups and the assessed outcomes | Focus exclusively on: • Non-ICWM interventional trials. OR • Non-randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials. OR • Non-controlled trials. OR • Observational studies. OR • Case reports. OR • Study protocols. OR • Reviews |
Context | Studies were included if they: • Published in English or Chinese. AND • Published on/before 16 June 2023 | Focus exclusively on: • Abstracts or full-text reports not found. OR • Repeat publications |