ObjectiveTo evaluate the outcomes used in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of unstable angina pectoris, so as to provide references for the study of the core outcome set of TCM on the treatment of unstable angina pectoris.MethodsWe searched RCTs of TCM on the treatment of unstable angina pectoris in the databases of PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP from January 2009 to August 2019. Two reviewers independently screened all records, extracted data and evaluated risk of bias of included trials. A qualitative analysis was conducted to analysis the outcomes.ResultsA total of 43 RCTs were included and their outcomes were categorized into 7 categories: clinical symptoms and signs, quality of life evaluation, blood biochemical outcomes, ECG, cardiac function outcomes, safety outcomes (including adverse reactions and events), and other related outcomes. Blood biochemical outcomes were the most frequently reported outcomes, followed by the clinical symptoms and signs. Of the 43 RCTs, 35 RCTs applied TCM syndromes efficacy as outcomes. Our analysis identified a series of problems in the application of outcomes: no distinction between primary and secondary outcomes, and most of the primary outcomes were intermediate alternative outcomes; the efficacy evaluation standards for TCM syndromes were different; the blinding method was ignored when the subjective outcomes were measured; less attention was paid on adverse outcomes than efficacy outcomes; the names of the same outcome were not standardized; the statistical expression of outcomes required improvement; the quantity of outcomes selected in different studies varied significantly; in TCM related efficacy outcomes, the effective rates were frequently used, however, the evaluation criteria were different.ConclusionsThere are numerous problems for the outcomes’ selecting for RCTs of TCM treatment of unstable angina pectoris. We should use the international standardized method of creating the core outcome sets to establish a core outcome set in line with the characteristics and laws of diagnosis and treatment of traditional Chinese medicine.