Objective: In a randomized, double-blind, exploratory, active-controlled trial, the efficacy and safety of a patent-pending combination of Ginger and Goldenrod extracts (BDI-630) in alleviating cold symptoms in commun...Objective: In a randomized, double-blind, exploratory, active-controlled trial, the efficacy and safety of a patent-pending combination of Ginger and Goldenrod extracts (BDI-630) in alleviating cold symptoms in community-dwelling adults was compared to a combination of standardized amounts of Echinacea (EC) components. Methods: 44 healthy adults, experiencing new onset of cold symptoms were randomly assigned to receive either BDI-630 (900 mg) or EC (500 mg) twice daily for 10 days. The severity of cold symptoms and the quality of life was assessed by self-reporting of subjects using the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-21? 2004). Results: The intent-to-treat population (ITT) consisted of 44 subjects (n = 22 for BDI-630;n = 22 for EC). The modified ITT (mITT) population consisted of 40 subjects, excluding four subjects with major protocol deviations related to inclusion/exclusion criteria and/or use of prohibited drugs from the efficacy analysis (n = 3 for BDI-630 and n = 1 for EC). Results indicated a sig-nificant difference between the two groups: the superiority of BDI-630 over EC was particularly noticeable between Day 1 and Day 7, as demonstrated by a 14-fold difference of the mean percentage of change of total score from baseline in the mITT population. Adverse events (AEs) following the intake of BDI-630 were mostly limited to mild gastrointestinal intolerance in less than 10% of the subjects. Conclusions: BDI-630 was shown to be more effective than EC in alleviating cold symptoms in the adult population, particularly during the first 7 days of treatment. BDI-630 was very well tolerated by all subjects.展开更多
BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as a common systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease, affects approximately 1 in 100 individuals. Effective treatment for RA is not yet available because current research does...BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as a common systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease, affects approximately 1 in 100 individuals. Effective treatment for RA is not yet available because current research does not have a clear understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of RA. Xinfeng Capsule, a patent Chinese herbal medicine, has been used in the treatment of RA in recent years. Despite its reported clinical efficacy, there are no large-sample, multicenter, randomized trials that support the use of Xinfeng Capsule for RA. Therefore, we designed a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of Xinfeng Capsule in the treatment of RA. METHODS AND DESIGN: This is a 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial on the treatment of RA. The participants will be randomly assigned to the experimental group and the control group at a ratio of 1:1. Participants in the experimental group will receive Xinfeng Capsule and a pharmaceutical placebo (imitation leflunomide). The control group will receive leflunomide and an herbal placebo (imitation Xinfeng Capsule). The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Criteria for RA will be used to measure the efficacy of the Xinfeng Capsule. The primary outcome measure will be the percentage of study participants who achieve an ACR 20% response rate (ACR20), which will be measured every 4 weeks after randomization. Secondary outcomes will include the ACR50 and ACR70 responses, the side effects of the medications, the Disease Activity Score 28, RA biomarkers, quality of life, and X-rays of the hands and wrists. The first four of the secondary outcomes will be measured every 4 weeks and the others will be measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. DISCUSSION: The result of this trial will help to evaluate whether Xinfeng Capsule is effective and safe in the treatment of RA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. The identifier is N CT01774877.展开更多
Background:Acute gouty arthritis(AGA)is an inflammatory joint disease with a high prevalence.Typical medical interventions,including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,colchicine and glucocorticoids,can have serious...Background:Acute gouty arthritis(AGA)is an inflammatory joint disease with a high prevalence.Typical medical interventions,including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,colchicine and glucocorticoids,can have serious adverse reactions.Huzhang Granule(HZG),a compound Chinese herbal medicine,has been used to treat AGA for more than 30 years with satisfactory effects and no significant adverse reactions.However,the efficacy and safety of HZG in AGA patients remains unknown.Objective:The present investigation was designed to examine the efficacy and safety profile of HZG in managing AGA patients.Design,setting,participants and interventions:The current study was conducted as a noninferiority,randomized controlled clinical trial on 180 eligible enrolled participants.Participants were randomly assigned into the HZG and etoricoxib groups.Treatments were administered for 5 d,during which the HZG group received HZG and placebo etoricoxib,while the etoricoxib group received etoricoxib and placebo HZG in the same ratio(1:1).Main outcome measures:The primary outcome was pain experienced by the patient in the gout-afflicted joint from days 2 to 5 of the treatment window.The pain level was measured via a visual analogue scale,ranging from 0 mm to 100 mm.The secondary outcomes comprised joint tenderness and swelling,reduction of inflammatory biomarkers,and the patient’s and investigator’s global evaluations of therapeutic response.Results:The mean reduction in pain was-51.22 mm(95%confidence interval[CI],[-53.42,-49.03]mm)for the HZG and-52.00 mm(95%CI,[-54.06,-49.94]mm)for the etoricoxib groups.The mean difference between the two groups was 0.78 mm(95%CI,[-2.25,3.81]mm).All additional efficacy endpoints,covering decreased inflammation and pain relief,yielded compelling proof of noninferiority.Patients in the HZG group exhibited a comparatively lower rate of adverse events compared to those in the etoricoxib group(4.44%vs 13.33%;P≤0.05).Conclusion:HZG and etoricoxib groups demonstrated similar levels of analgesic effectiveness.The safety and efficacy of HZG indicates that it can be used as a potential therapeutic option for treating AGA.展开更多
Objective: To assess the effect and safety of Huannao Yicong Formula (还脑益聪方, HYF) in the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: Sixty patients with mild-to moderate AD ...Objective: To assess the effect and safety of Huannao Yicong Formula (还脑益聪方, HYF) in the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: Sixty patients with mild-to moderate AD were evenly randomized into HYF group and donepezil group with the random number method. Patients in the HYF group took 5 g of HYF granules twice daily and 5 mg placebo of donepezil once daily. Patients in the donepezil group took 5 mg donepezil once daily and 5 g placebo of HYF granules twice daily. The intervention lasted for 6 months. Clinical researchers, participants and statisticians were blinded to the treatment assignment throughout the study. The primary outcomes were scores of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) and Chinese Medicine Symptom Scale (CM-SS). The secondary outcomes were scores of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test and Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE). The serum levels of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and amyloid-β protein 42 (Aβ 42) were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits. The scale assessments were conducted at baseline, the 3rd and 6th months of treatment, respectively. Biochemistry tests were conducted at baseline and the 6th month of treatment. Results: A total of 52 patients completed the trial, 28 in HYF group and 24 in donepezil group. Compared with the baseline, HYF and donepezil significantly decreased the total scores of ADAS-Cog and CM-SS, and significantly increased the scores of MoCA and MMSE after 6-month treatment (all P<0.01). Both treatments remarkably reduced the serum levels of AchE and Aβ 42 (both P<0.05). The CM-SS total effective rate of HYF was significantly higher than donepezil [75.00%(21/28) vs. 54.17%(13/24), P<0.05]. No severe adverse events were observed in both groups. Conclusion: HYF is effective and safe for improving the cognitive function in mild to-moderate AD patients.[Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Reg No. ChiCTR-IOR-17011746)].展开更多
BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by functional disability and pain. Although acupuncture is widely used, until now Western acupuncture studies on RA have not sho...BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by functional disability and pain. Although acupuncture is widely used, until now Western acupuncture studies on RA have not shown conclusive positive results. Acupuncture is regarded as a reflex therapy that has effects on the human autonomic nervous system. By establishing a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) diagnosis first, the practitioner is able to choose acupoints according to the state of each individual patient.METHODS/DESIGN: We are interested if acupuncture, using a classical diagnostic procedure to allocate acupoints to the patient according to the Shang Han Lun theory, can be effective in relieving pain, improving hand function and increasing health-related quality of life in RA.The authors intend to harmonize TCM diagnosis according to clinical and genetic profiles. Patients with the TCM diagnosis of a so-called Turning Point syndrome will be followed up in a randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter and three-armed parallel-group study with a standardized treatment in order to optimize potential therapeutic effects of acupuncture on pain, strength and muscle function of patients with RA as well as the influence on inflammation and quality of life.DISCUSSION: The findings of this study will provide important clinical information about the feasibility and efficacy of acupuncture treatment for RA patients. In addition, it will explore the feasibility of further acupuncture research.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical Trials.gov Identifier NCT02553005.展开更多
Objective: To investigate whether three strains of probiotics, L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, and L. sporogenes, had significant inhibitive effects on Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori). Methods: This is a 4-week, rand...Objective: To investigate whether three strains of probiotics, L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, and L. sporogenes, had significant inhibitive effects on Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori). Methods: This is a 4-week, randomly assigned, parallel-group, doubled-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Fifty patients with a positive H. pylori infection urea breath test(△UBT) result 〉 10% and without ulcer symptoms were randomized into a treatment group and a placebo group by a computer generated allocation sheet with 1:1. These subjects took one capsule of probiotics or placebo twice daily. The primary measurement was the change in △UBT values. Results: The △UBT values during the 4-week treatment period and the 2-week follow-up period were not significantly different between the treatment group and the placebo group, indicating that the inhibitive effects on H. pylori were comparable between both groups. The monocyte count(%) was 5.77±1.11 in the treatment group versus 5.09±1.12 in the placebo group(P=0.044), and the basophile count was 0.55±0.32 in the treatment group versus 0.36±0.23 in the placebo group(P=0.024) at week 2 of the treatment period, both of which reached statistical significance. The monocyte count was 5.75±1.26 in the treatment group and 4.72±0.99 in the placebo group at the end of the follow-up period(P=0.003). Conclusions: There was no significant inhibitive effects of the three probiotic strains(L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, and L. sporogenes) on H. pylori. Probiotics can not play the same role as antibiotics in the eradication of H. pylori, the role of probiotics is likely to be important as adjuvant to the triple or quadruple therapy for H. pylori, especially in resistance cases.展开更多
Background: Lipid-lowering effect ofRhus coriaria L. (Rhus) has been investigated in multiple animal stud- ies with promising results. Nonetheless, its clinical efficacy has not been adequately examined. Objective...Background: Lipid-lowering effect ofRhus coriaria L. (Rhus) has been investigated in multiple animal stud- ies with promising results. Nonetheless, its clinical efficacy has not been adequately examined. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the lipid-lowering effects of Rhus among patients with hyperlipidemia. Design, setting, participants and interventions: The study was designed as a two-arm, double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, using a parallel design. Eighty patients with primary hyper- lipidemia were randomly assigned to receive Rhus capsules or placebo for 6 weeks. Main outcome measures: The serum lipid levels, apolipoprotein-A1 (Apo-A1) and apolipoprotein-B (Apo-B) were measured. Results: Mean serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and Apo-Al levels were significantly increased in the Rhus group, compared with the placebo group, after 6 weeks of intervention (P= 0.001). The analysis of covariance test including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and smoking as co-variables revealed that the increase in HDL-C and Apo-A1 levels remained significant, and increases in HDL-C were dependent on the increase in Apo-A1 levels. No significant difference was observed between Rhus and placebo groups in terms of mean reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipopro- tein cholesterol and triglyceride levels; however, more significant improvement was observed among obese patients (BMI≥ 30 kg/m^2). Conclusion: The study showed significant increases in HDL-C and Apo-Al levels in response to Rhus sup- plementation in patients with hyperlipidemia. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02295293.展开更多
Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the Chinese herbal therapeutic regimen of activating blood circulation (TRABC) in treatment of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH). Methods: This was...Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the Chinese herbal therapeutic regimen of activating blood circulation (TRABC) in treatment of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH). Methods: This was a multi-center prospective randomized open-label blinded-endpoint (PROBE) trial with HICH admitted to 12 hospitals. Totally 240 participants were randomized to the treatment group treated with TRABC in addition to conventional Western treatment or the control group with conventional Western treatment equally for 3 months. Primary outcome was degree of disability as measured by modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Secondary outcomes were the absorption of hematoma and edema, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores and patient-reported outcome measures for stroke and Barthel activities of daily living index. Adverse events and mortality were also recorded. Results: After 3 months of treatment, the rate of mRS 0-1 and mRS 0-2 in the treatment group was 72.5% and 80.4%, respectively, and in the control group 48.1% and 63.9%, respectively, with a significant difference between groups (P〈0.01). Hematoma volume decreased significantly at day 7 of treatment in the treatment group than the control group (P=0.038). Average Barthel scores in the treatment group after treatment was 89.11 + 19.93, and in the control group 82.18 + 24.02 (P=0.003). NIHSS scores of the two groups after treatment decreased significantly compared with before treatment (P=0.001). Patient-reported outcomes in the treatment group were lower than the control group at day 21 and 3 months of treatment (P〈0.05). There were 4 deaths, 2 in each group, and 11 adverse events, 6 in the treatment group and 5 in the control group. Conclusion: The integrative therapy combined TRABC with conventional Western treatment for HICH could promote hematoma absorption thus minimize neurologic impairment, without increasing intracerebral hematoma expansion and re-bleeding.展开更多
Background:Shenyankangfu Tablet(SYKFT)is a Chinese patent medicine that has been used widely to decrease proteinuria and the progression of chronic kidney disease.Objective:This trial compared the efficacy and safety ...Background:Shenyankangfu Tablet(SYKFT)is a Chinese patent medicine that has been used widely to decrease proteinuria and the progression of chronic kidney disease.Objective:This trial compared the efficacy and safety of SYKFT,for the control of proteinuria in primary glomerulonephritis patients,against the standard drug,losartan potassium.Design,setting,participants and intervention:This was a multicenter,double-blind,randomized,controlled clinical trial.Primary glomerulonephritis patients,aged 18-70 years,with blood pressure≤140/90 mmHg,estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)>45 mL/min per 1.73 ㎡,and 24-hour proteinuria level of 0.5-3.0 g,were recruited in 41 hospitals across 19 provinces in China and were randomly divided into five groups:SYKFT,losartan potassium 50 mg or 100 mg,SYKFT plus losartan potassium 50 mg or 100 mg.Main outcome measu res:The primary outcome was change in the 24-hour proteinuria level,after 48 weeks of treatment.Results:A total of 735 participants were enrolled.The percent decline of urine protein quantification in the SYKFT group after 48 weeks was 8.78%±2.56%(P=0.006)more than that in the losartan 50 mg group,which was 0.51%±2.54%(P=1.000)less than that in the losartan 100 mg group.Compared with the losartan potassium 50 mg group,the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 50 mg group had a 13.39%±2.49%(P<0.001)greater reduction in urine protein level.Compared with the losartan potassium 100 mg group,the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 100 mg group had a 9.77%±2.52%(P=0.001)greater reduction in urine protein.With a superiority threshold of 15%,neither was statistically significant.eGFR,serum creatinine and serum albumin from the baseline did not change statistically significant.The average change in TCM syndrome score between the patients who took SYKFT(-3.00[-6.00,-2.00])and who did not take SYKFT(-2.00[-5.00,0])was statistically significant(P=0.003).No obvious adverse reactions were observed in any group.Conclusion:SYKFT decreased the proteinuria and improved the TCM syndrome scores of primary glomerulonephritis patients,with no change in the rate of decrease in the eGFR.SYKFT plus losartan potassium therapy decreased proteinuria more than losartan potassium therapy alone.Trial registration number:NCT02063100 on ClinicalTrials.gov.展开更多
文摘Objective: In a randomized, double-blind, exploratory, active-controlled trial, the efficacy and safety of a patent-pending combination of Ginger and Goldenrod extracts (BDI-630) in alleviating cold symptoms in community-dwelling adults was compared to a combination of standardized amounts of Echinacea (EC) components. Methods: 44 healthy adults, experiencing new onset of cold symptoms were randomly assigned to receive either BDI-630 (900 mg) or EC (500 mg) twice daily for 10 days. The severity of cold symptoms and the quality of life was assessed by self-reporting of subjects using the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-21? 2004). Results: The intent-to-treat population (ITT) consisted of 44 subjects (n = 22 for BDI-630;n = 22 for EC). The modified ITT (mITT) population consisted of 40 subjects, excluding four subjects with major protocol deviations related to inclusion/exclusion criteria and/or use of prohibited drugs from the efficacy analysis (n = 3 for BDI-630 and n = 1 for EC). Results indicated a sig-nificant difference between the two groups: the superiority of BDI-630 over EC was particularly noticeable between Day 1 and Day 7, as demonstrated by a 14-fold difference of the mean percentage of change of total score from baseline in the mITT population. Adverse events (AEs) following the intake of BDI-630 were mostly limited to mild gastrointestinal intolerance in less than 10% of the subjects. Conclusions: BDI-630 was shown to be more effective than EC in alleviating cold symptoms in the adult population, particularly during the first 7 days of treatment. BDI-630 was very well tolerated by all subjects.
基金supported by the Twelfth Five-Year Support Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology for clinical studies investigating Xin'an medicine in the treatment of complicated ascites diseases(No.2012BAI26B02)
文摘BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as a common systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease, affects approximately 1 in 100 individuals. Effective treatment for RA is not yet available because current research does not have a clear understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of RA. Xinfeng Capsule, a patent Chinese herbal medicine, has been used in the treatment of RA in recent years. Despite its reported clinical efficacy, there are no large-sample, multicenter, randomized trials that support the use of Xinfeng Capsule for RA. Therefore, we designed a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of Xinfeng Capsule in the treatment of RA. METHODS AND DESIGN: This is a 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial on the treatment of RA. The participants will be randomly assigned to the experimental group and the control group at a ratio of 1:1. Participants in the experimental group will receive Xinfeng Capsule and a pharmaceutical placebo (imitation leflunomide). The control group will receive leflunomide and an herbal placebo (imitation Xinfeng Capsule). The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Criteria for RA will be used to measure the efficacy of the Xinfeng Capsule. The primary outcome measure will be the percentage of study participants who achieve an ACR 20% response rate (ACR20), which will be measured every 4 weeks after randomization. Secondary outcomes will include the ACR50 and ACR70 responses, the side effects of the medications, the Disease Activity Score 28, RA biomarkers, quality of life, and X-rays of the hands and wrists. The first four of the secondary outcomes will be measured every 4 weeks and the others will be measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. DISCUSSION: The result of this trial will help to evaluate whether Xinfeng Capsule is effective and safe in the treatment of RA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. The identifier is N CT01774877.
基金supported by the Clinical Research Plan of SHDC(No.SHDC2020CR4053SHDC2022CRS053)+14 种基金Research Project of Shanghai Municipal Health Care Commission(No.20204Y0312)Shanghai Municipal Health Commission Health Industry Clinical Research Special Project(No.20234Y0075)Health Young Talents of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission(No.2022YQ026)the Clinical Research Program of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission(No.202240371)Shanghai Clinical Key Specialty Construction Project(No.shslczdzk05001)Three-year Action Plan of Shanghai to Further Accelerate the Inheritance and Innovation of Traditional Chinese Medicine(No.ZY[2021-2023]-0302)Jiangxi Provincial Natural Science Foundation(No.20224BAB216096)Shanghai Dermatology Research Center(No.2023ZZ02017)Shanghai Dermatology Hospital Demonstration Research Ward Project(No.SHDC2023CRW009)Xinglin Youth Scholar of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine(No.RY411.33.10)Youth Talent Promotion Project of China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine(2021–2023)Category A(No.CACM-2021-QNRC2-A10)‘‘Chen Guang”project supported by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and Shanghai Education Development Foundation(No.22CGA50)High-level Chinese Medicine Key Discipline Construction Project(Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine Clinic)of National Administration of TCM(No.zyyzdxk-2023065)Shanghai Talent Development Fund(No.2021073)Shanghai Sailing Program(No.20YF1450500)。
文摘Background:Acute gouty arthritis(AGA)is an inflammatory joint disease with a high prevalence.Typical medical interventions,including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,colchicine and glucocorticoids,can have serious adverse reactions.Huzhang Granule(HZG),a compound Chinese herbal medicine,has been used to treat AGA for more than 30 years with satisfactory effects and no significant adverse reactions.However,the efficacy and safety of HZG in AGA patients remains unknown.Objective:The present investigation was designed to examine the efficacy and safety profile of HZG in managing AGA patients.Design,setting,participants and interventions:The current study was conducted as a noninferiority,randomized controlled clinical trial on 180 eligible enrolled participants.Participants were randomly assigned into the HZG and etoricoxib groups.Treatments were administered for 5 d,during which the HZG group received HZG and placebo etoricoxib,while the etoricoxib group received etoricoxib and placebo HZG in the same ratio(1:1).Main outcome measures:The primary outcome was pain experienced by the patient in the gout-afflicted joint from days 2 to 5 of the treatment window.The pain level was measured via a visual analogue scale,ranging from 0 mm to 100 mm.The secondary outcomes comprised joint tenderness and swelling,reduction of inflammatory biomarkers,and the patient’s and investigator’s global evaluations of therapeutic response.Results:The mean reduction in pain was-51.22 mm(95%confidence interval[CI],[-53.42,-49.03]mm)for the HZG and-52.00 mm(95%CI,[-54.06,-49.94]mm)for the etoricoxib groups.The mean difference between the two groups was 0.78 mm(95%CI,[-2.25,3.81]mm).All additional efficacy endpoints,covering decreased inflammation and pain relief,yielded compelling proof of noninferiority.Patients in the HZG group exhibited a comparatively lower rate of adverse events compared to those in the etoricoxib group(4.44%vs 13.33%;P≤0.05).Conclusion:HZG and etoricoxib groups demonstrated similar levels of analgesic effectiveness.The safety and efficacy of HZG indicates that it can be used as a potential therapeutic option for treating AGA.
基金Supported by the National Science and Technology Projects for Significant Major New Drug Creation(No.2009ZX09103-391)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81573819)the Self-determined Project of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences(No.ZZ0808003)
文摘Objective: To assess the effect and safety of Huannao Yicong Formula (还脑益聪方, HYF) in the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: Sixty patients with mild-to moderate AD were evenly randomized into HYF group and donepezil group with the random number method. Patients in the HYF group took 5 g of HYF granules twice daily and 5 mg placebo of donepezil once daily. Patients in the donepezil group took 5 mg donepezil once daily and 5 g placebo of HYF granules twice daily. The intervention lasted for 6 months. Clinical researchers, participants and statisticians were blinded to the treatment assignment throughout the study. The primary outcomes were scores of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) and Chinese Medicine Symptom Scale (CM-SS). The secondary outcomes were scores of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test and Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE). The serum levels of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and amyloid-β protein 42 (Aβ 42) were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits. The scale assessments were conducted at baseline, the 3rd and 6th months of treatment, respectively. Biochemistry tests were conducted at baseline and the 6th month of treatment. Results: A total of 52 patients completed the trial, 28 in HYF group and 24 in donepezil group. Compared with the baseline, HYF and donepezil significantly decreased the total scores of ADAS-Cog and CM-SS, and significantly increased the scores of MoCA and MMSE after 6-month treatment (all P<0.01). Both treatments remarkably reduced the serum levels of AchE and Aβ 42 (both P<0.05). The CM-SS total effective rate of HYF was significantly higher than donepezil [75.00%(21/28) vs. 54.17%(13/24), P<0.05]. No severe adverse events were observed in both groups. Conclusion: HYF is effective and safe for improving the cognitive function in mild to-moderate AD patients.[Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Reg No. ChiCTR-IOR-17011746)].
文摘BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by functional disability and pain. Although acupuncture is widely used, until now Western acupuncture studies on RA have not shown conclusive positive results. Acupuncture is regarded as a reflex therapy that has effects on the human autonomic nervous system. By establishing a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) diagnosis first, the practitioner is able to choose acupoints according to the state of each individual patient.METHODS/DESIGN: We are interested if acupuncture, using a classical diagnostic procedure to allocate acupoints to the patient according to the Shang Han Lun theory, can be effective in relieving pain, improving hand function and increasing health-related quality of life in RA.The authors intend to harmonize TCM diagnosis according to clinical and genetic profiles. Patients with the TCM diagnosis of a so-called Turning Point syndrome will be followed up in a randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter and three-armed parallel-group study with a standardized treatment in order to optimize potential therapeutic effects of acupuncture on pain, strength and muscle function of patients with RA as well as the influence on inflammation and quality of life.DISCUSSION: The findings of this study will provide important clinical information about the feasibility and efficacy of acupuncture treatment for RA patients. In addition, it will explore the feasibility of further acupuncture research.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical Trials.gov Identifier NCT02553005.
基金Supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs(Contract No.9931201029-7-1),Taiwan,ChinaChung Shan Medical University(Protocol No.:CSMU-G1040001)
文摘Objective: To investigate whether three strains of probiotics, L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, and L. sporogenes, had significant inhibitive effects on Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori). Methods: This is a 4-week, randomly assigned, parallel-group, doubled-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Fifty patients with a positive H. pylori infection urea breath test(△UBT) result 〉 10% and without ulcer symptoms were randomized into a treatment group and a placebo group by a computer generated allocation sheet with 1:1. These subjects took one capsule of probiotics or placebo twice daily. The primary measurement was the change in △UBT values. Results: The △UBT values during the 4-week treatment period and the 2-week follow-up period were not significantly different between the treatment group and the placebo group, indicating that the inhibitive effects on H. pylori were comparable between both groups. The monocyte count(%) was 5.77±1.11 in the treatment group versus 5.09±1.12 in the placebo group(P=0.044), and the basophile count was 0.55±0.32 in the treatment group versus 0.36±0.23 in the placebo group(P=0.024) at week 2 of the treatment period, both of which reached statistical significance. The monocyte count was 5.75±1.26 in the treatment group and 4.72±0.99 in the placebo group at the end of the follow-up period(P=0.003). Conclusions: There was no significant inhibitive effects of the three probiotic strains(L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, and L. sporogenes) on H. pylori. Probiotics can not play the same role as antibiotics in the eradication of H. pylori, the role of probiotics is likely to be important as adjuvant to the triple or quadruple therapy for H. pylori, especially in resistance cases.
基金supported by a grant from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences–Iran (Grant No. 92-5581)
文摘Background: Lipid-lowering effect ofRhus coriaria L. (Rhus) has been investigated in multiple animal stud- ies with promising results. Nonetheless, its clinical efficacy has not been adequately examined. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the lipid-lowering effects of Rhus among patients with hyperlipidemia. Design, setting, participants and interventions: The study was designed as a two-arm, double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, using a parallel design. Eighty patients with primary hyper- lipidemia were randomly assigned to receive Rhus capsules or placebo for 6 weeks. Main outcome measures: The serum lipid levels, apolipoprotein-A1 (Apo-A1) and apolipoprotein-B (Apo-B) were measured. Results: Mean serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and Apo-Al levels were significantly increased in the Rhus group, compared with the placebo group, after 6 weeks of intervention (P= 0.001). The analysis of covariance test including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and smoking as co-variables revealed that the increase in HDL-C and Apo-A1 levels remained significant, and increases in HDL-C were dependent on the increase in Apo-A1 levels. No significant difference was observed between Rhus and placebo groups in terms of mean reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipopro- tein cholesterol and triglyceride levels; however, more significant improvement was observed among obese patients (BMI≥ 30 kg/m^2). Conclusion: The study showed significant increases in HDL-C and Apo-Al levels in response to Rhus sup- plementation in patients with hyperlipidemia. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02295293.
基金Supported by the Beijing Committee on Science and Technology,Project on Research on Two Standards of Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Stroke(No.D101107049310003)
文摘Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the Chinese herbal therapeutic regimen of activating blood circulation (TRABC) in treatment of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH). Methods: This was a multi-center prospective randomized open-label blinded-endpoint (PROBE) trial with HICH admitted to 12 hospitals. Totally 240 participants were randomized to the treatment group treated with TRABC in addition to conventional Western treatment or the control group with conventional Western treatment equally for 3 months. Primary outcome was degree of disability as measured by modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Secondary outcomes were the absorption of hematoma and edema, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores and patient-reported outcome measures for stroke and Barthel activities of daily living index. Adverse events and mortality were also recorded. Results: After 3 months of treatment, the rate of mRS 0-1 and mRS 0-2 in the treatment group was 72.5% and 80.4%, respectively, and in the control group 48.1% and 63.9%, respectively, with a significant difference between groups (P〈0.01). Hematoma volume decreased significantly at day 7 of treatment in the treatment group than the control group (P=0.038). Average Barthel scores in the treatment group after treatment was 89.11 + 19.93, and in the control group 82.18 + 24.02 (P=0.003). NIHSS scores of the two groups after treatment decreased significantly compared with before treatment (P=0.001). Patient-reported outcomes in the treatment group were lower than the control group at day 21 and 3 months of treatment (P〈0.05). There were 4 deaths, 2 in each group, and 11 adverse events, 6 in the treatment group and 5 in the control group. Conclusion: The integrative therapy combined TRABC with conventional Western treatment for HICH could promote hematoma absorption thus minimize neurologic impairment, without increasing intracerebral hematoma expansion and re-bleeding.
基金supported by the National Science and Technology Major Projects of China(No.2014ZX09201021)Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission Major Projects(No.D181100000118002)。
文摘Background:Shenyankangfu Tablet(SYKFT)is a Chinese patent medicine that has been used widely to decrease proteinuria and the progression of chronic kidney disease.Objective:This trial compared the efficacy and safety of SYKFT,for the control of proteinuria in primary glomerulonephritis patients,against the standard drug,losartan potassium.Design,setting,participants and intervention:This was a multicenter,double-blind,randomized,controlled clinical trial.Primary glomerulonephritis patients,aged 18-70 years,with blood pressure≤140/90 mmHg,estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)>45 mL/min per 1.73 ㎡,and 24-hour proteinuria level of 0.5-3.0 g,were recruited in 41 hospitals across 19 provinces in China and were randomly divided into five groups:SYKFT,losartan potassium 50 mg or 100 mg,SYKFT plus losartan potassium 50 mg or 100 mg.Main outcome measu res:The primary outcome was change in the 24-hour proteinuria level,after 48 weeks of treatment.Results:A total of 735 participants were enrolled.The percent decline of urine protein quantification in the SYKFT group after 48 weeks was 8.78%±2.56%(P=0.006)more than that in the losartan 50 mg group,which was 0.51%±2.54%(P=1.000)less than that in the losartan 100 mg group.Compared with the losartan potassium 50 mg group,the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 50 mg group had a 13.39%±2.49%(P<0.001)greater reduction in urine protein level.Compared with the losartan potassium 100 mg group,the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 100 mg group had a 9.77%±2.52%(P=0.001)greater reduction in urine protein.With a superiority threshold of 15%,neither was statistically significant.eGFR,serum creatinine and serum albumin from the baseline did not change statistically significant.The average change in TCM syndrome score between the patients who took SYKFT(-3.00[-6.00,-2.00])and who did not take SYKFT(-2.00[-5.00,0])was statistically significant(P=0.003).No obvious adverse reactions were observed in any group.Conclusion:SYKFT decreased the proteinuria and improved the TCM syndrome scores of primary glomerulonephritis patients,with no change in the rate of decrease in the eGFR.SYKFT plus losartan potassium therapy decreased proteinuria more than losartan potassium therapy alone.Trial registration number:NCT02063100 on ClinicalTrials.gov.