Clinical Study of “Lingqi Huangban Granule” in Treating Choroidal Neovascularisation in Pathologic Myopia

Objectives: To study the therapeutic effects of “Lingqi Huangban Granule” (LQHB) combined with intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IVR) for choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) in pathologic myopia (PM). Methods: This was a prospective, comparative, interventional study. Eighty eyes of eighty consecutive patients with myopic CNV were randomized into control group (IVR, 40 eyes) and integrative therapy group (IVR + LQHB, 40 eyes), each with a follow-up period of 12 months. IVR was given with an “on demand” regimen (Pro re nata, PRN). Final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and its change from baseline were the main outcome measures. Changes in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were the secondary outcome measures. Results: BCVA of patients in the integrative group improved significantly (from 47.10 ± 13.51 letters to 90.72 ± 12.98 letter, P 0.05), more than in the control group (from 42.90 ± 13.18 letters to 69.18±13.21 letters, P 0.05) since the third month after the initial treatment to the end of the follow-up. Mean OCT CRT reduced from 364.75 ± 69.31 to 278.93 ± 33.05 um (P 0.05) in the control group and from 370.73 ± 65.31 to 271.73 ± 46.44 um (P 0.05) in the integrative group, respectively. The mean number of intravitreal injections in the 1-year follow-up was also reduced. No ocular or systemic side effects were observed. Conclusion: LQHB combined with IVR therapy was an effective treatment for stabilizing and improving vision with fewer intravitreal injections. It appears to be an interesting option for this type of patient.

Effect of Lingqi Huangban granule plus intravitreal ranibizumab on macular edema induced by retinal vein occlusion: a randomized controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Lingqi Huangban granule(LQHB) plus intravitreal ranibizumab in the treatment of macular edema(ME) induced by retinal vein occlusion(RVO).METHODS: A prospective, randomized controlled study was conducted. A total of 60 subjects with RVO induced ME were randomized into control group(CG)(30 eyes) and LQHB group(LQHBG)(30 eyes). CG patients underwent intravitreal ranibizumab(IVR) injections. LQHBG patients were treated with oral LQHB combined with IVR injections. In order to reduce the financial burden of the injections, we used one injection and pro re nata(PRN)regimen for both groups. The best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT), and mean number of injections were evaluated at the beginning of treatment and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months afterward. All the subjects were followed up for 1 year.RESULTS: At the beginning of treatment, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of the general condition of patients(P > 0.05). At 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after treatment, however, the BCVA scores improved and the CMT measurements decreased in all patients(P < 0.05), with the improvement of LQHBG significantly greater than that of CG(P <0.05). The mean numbers of ranibizumab injections were 1.8 ± 0.3 in LQHBG and 2.3 ± 0.6 in CG, respectively(P < 0.05). No adverse events were reported in both groups.CONCLUSION: LQHB plus intravitreal ranibizumab could be a much more effective and economic treatment for stabilizing and improving vision with fewer intravitreal injections in the treatment of RVO induced ME. This integrative therapy appears to be a promising option for this type of patient.