健脾化湿通络法治疗类风湿关节炎贫血的临床研究

Effects of traditional Chinese medicine for invigorating spleen to resolve dampness and dredging collaterals on patients with rheumatoid arthritis and anemia

目的观察健脾化湿通络法治疗类风湿关节炎(rheumatoidarthritis,RA)贫血患者的临床疗效并探讨其作用机制。方法40例类风湿关节炎贫血患者随机分为3组新风胶囊治疗组20例(口服新风胶囊)、雷公藤治疗组10例(口服雷公藤多苷片)和甲氨蝶呤治疗组10例(口服甲氨蝶呤片)。3组均连续服药3个月。观察各组患者的临床疗效。比较治疗前后各组患者全身和关节症状、贫血、血清铁、C反应蛋白、类风湿因子、免疫球蛋白、白细胞介素10、肿瘤坏死因子α及红细胞生成素(erythropoietin,EPO)的变化,以及不良反应。结果新风胶囊治疗组在治疗总有效率、改善类风湿关节炎贫血患者关节症状及部分实验室检查指标(血沉、类风湿因子、C反应蛋白、免疫球蛋白)方面,与甲氨蝶呤治疗组和雷公藤治疗组相似;但在改善类风湿关节炎贫血患者全身症状、血红细胞计数、血红蛋白含量以及上调白细胞介素10、下调肿瘤坏死因子α、升高血清铁及调节血清EPO水平方面均优于甲氨蝶呤治疗组和雷公藤治疗组。结论依据从“脾”论治原则研制的具有健脾化湿通络功效的中药新风胶囊,能明显改善类风湿关节炎贫血患者的全身及贫血症状、缓解患者的关节症状,其机制与调整细胞因子平衡、调节血清EPO的水平及升高血清铁含量相关。

Objective： To observe the clinical effects of Xinfeng Capsules （XFC）, a traditional Chinese medicine for invigorating the spleen to resolve dampness and dredging collaterals, on patients with rheumatoid arthritis （RA） and anemia, and to investigate its mechanism. Methods： Forty patients with RA and anemia were divided into three groups： XFO-treated group （n = 20）, Tripterygium glycosides Tablets （TGT）- treated group （n= 10） and methotrexate （MTX）-treated group （n= 10）. The patients in each group took corresponding medicine for three months. The response rates of the three groups were evaluated after treatment. The general symptoms and specific signs and symptoms of RA were observed before and after the treatment. The indexes of blood routine examination and some other laboratory indexes such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）, and blood levels of rheumatoid factor （RF）, iron, C-reaction protein （CRP）, immunoglobins （Ig）, complements 3 and 4, tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）, interleukin-10 （IL-10） and erythropoietin （EPO） were all examined and compared before and after treatment. Results： The total response rate in the XFO-treated group was similar to those both in the TGT-treated and MTX-treated groups. The effects on relieving specific symptoms of RA in the three groups were also similar. The ESR and serum levels of RF, CRP, IgG, IgA and IgM were all decreased after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the three groups, and there were no significant differences among those laboratory indexes in the three groups after treatment. The XFC displayed more obvious effects on improving the general symptoms of patients with RA and anemia, increasing the blood levels of hemoglobin, iron and IL-10, while decreasing the serum level of TNF-α and regulating the serum EPO level, as compared with those in the TGT-treated and MTX-treated groups. Conclusion： The XFC for invigorating the spleen to resolve dampness and dredging collaterals was developed on the basic principle of regulating spleen. It can obviously improve the symptoms and laboratory indicators of RA. Such effects may be related to maintaining the balance of cytokines, regulating the serum level of EPO and increasing the serum iron level in patients with RA and anemia.