Objective To assess the effect of integrated traditional Chinese medicine with western medicine (ICWM) in the treatment of SARS. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Chinese BioMed Database ( CBM ) , and the Intemet performed handsearching in Chinese journals and reference lists. We included randomised controlled trials and prospective controlled studies of integrated Chinese medicine with western medicine versus western medicine alone in people with SARS. Three independent reviewers collected details of study population, interventions, and outcomes using a data extraction form. We conducted meta-analysis for similar data of studies.Results Nine studies (n =812) were included, all with the possibility of containing serious bias. ICWM in the treatment of SARS was associated with the following reductions: case fatality [ OR 0.32, 95% CI (0.14,0.71 ) ] , fever clearance time [ WMD -1.17, 95% CI ( -1.83, -0.50 ) , symptom remission time [ WMD-1.47, 95% CI ( - 1.96, - 0. 98) ] and the number of inflammation absorption cases [ MD 1.63, 95% CI(0.95, 2.80 ) ], having no significant difference in symptom scores of convalescents [ WMD -1.25, 95% CI ( -2.71, 0.21 ) ], cumulative dose of corticosteroids [ WMD - 236.96, 95% CI ( - 490.64, 16.73) ] and inflammation absorption mean time [ WMD 0.63, 95% CI ( - 1.33, 2.59) ] .Conclusions Due to the methodological limitations of the studies, the effect of ICWM for SARS is unclear. The apparent improvements in cases fatality, fever clearance time, syndromes remission time and numbers of inflammation absorption cases warrant further evaluation with high quality and large scale trials to be expected.