How effective are complementary therapies for HIV and AIDS: a systematic review

CRD COMMENTARY: The authors have clearly stated their research question and some inclusion and exclusion criteria. The literature search appears thorough but does not mention the inclusion of unpublished data. The quality of the included studies was not formally assessed however the authors state that the small numbers of participants was the most common methodological flaw in the included studies. The authors have reported on how the articles were selected, but not on how many of the reviewers were involved in the data extraction. The data extraction is reported in tables and text. The studies were combined in a narrative synthesis which described the study characteristics and results for each of the reviews' outcomes. There were no tests for heterogeneity although the authors have discussed some of the methodological and data limitations in the review. The authors conclusions that the efficacy of complementary medicine is not proven follows from the review.