Therapeutic Effect of Integrative Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on 51 SARS Patients and Its Influence on Their TLymphocyte Subsets

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of integrative Chinese a nd western medicine (ICWM) in treatment of patients with severe acute respirator y syndrome (SARS) and its influence on their T lymphocyte subsets.Methods: Fifty one patients with SARS of severe type were obser ved with synchronous non randomized controlled method. They were divided into the ICWM group (29 patients) and the western medicine (WM) group (22 patients). Western medical treatment was applied to both groups, but to the ICWM group, Ch inese medicine was given additionally. The therapeutic course was 2-3 weeks for both groups. Clinical effect and changes of T lymphocyte subsets (CD4 +) aft er treatment were observed.Results: In the ICWM group, 26 patients (89.66%) were cured and 3 (10.34%) died, while in the WM group, 12 (54.55%) cur ed and 10 (45.45%) died, thus comparison of the cure rate between the two groups showing significant difference ( P <0.01). The score of clinical symptoms in the ICWM group was decreased from 7.14±5.20 scores before treatment to 1.82±3. 75 scores after treatment, while in the WM group, it lowered from 7.36±3.84 sco res before treatment to 5.17±4.17 scores after treatment, significant diffe rence shown in the comparison of the values between the two groups after treatme nt (P<0.01). Immunological function test showed that CD4 + T lymphocyte in the ICWM group rose from 361±278 cells/mm 3 before treatment to 630±454 c ells/mm 3 after treatment, showing significant difference( P <0.01 );bu t in the WM group, it merely rose from 288±186 cells/mm 3 to 376±285 cells/mm 3 in the corresponding period (P>0.05). Conclusion: ICWM could improve the clinical symptoms of SARS pa tients markedly, enhance their T lymphocyte immune function, and reduce their mortality.

Clinical Evaluation of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine in Treating SARS

Objective:To evaluate the effective treatment with integrative Chinese and western medicine (ICWM) of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Methods: The 65 cases of SARS patients were treated with ICWM and 37 cases with western medicine (WM) alone as the control in our hospital from March 11 to April 30, 2003. The results were analyzed, with T subset profile tested for all the 102 patients. Results: Sixty-five cases of SARS patients treated with ICWM included 52 mild cases of whom 51 cases were cured (98.1%) and no patient died. As to the 13 severe cases in this group, 9 were cured (69. 2%) and 2 died (15. 4%). Of the 37 cases treated with WM alone, 16 out of the 18 common cases were cured (88. 9%) and 10 out of the 19 severe cases were cured (52. 6%), with the other 9 died (47. 4%). Comparison between the two groups (P=0. 061) showed the difference was close to the value for statistical significance. But considering that the number of samples was small, more cases are needed for further study. The immune function examination: in cases of the common type, after ICWM treatment, CD4 + T lymphocytes were increased from 360±247 cell/mm3 to 563±479 cell/mm3 (P<0. 05). In the group treated with WM alone, CD4+ T lymphocytes were increased from 331 ±193 cell/mm3 to 772±354 cell/mm3 (P<0. 05). As to the severe cases after ICWM treatment, CD4+ T lymphocytes increased from 352±279 cell/mm3 to 525±490 cell/mm3 (P>0. 05). In the group of severe cases treated with WM alone, CD4+ T lymphocytes reduced from 229±69 cell/mm3 to 205±108 cell/mm3 (P>0. 05). While after ICWM treatment, CD4+ T lymphocytes were significantly higher than that of the group treated with WM alone (P< 0. 05). Conclusion: Compared with the group treated with WM alone, ICWM can significantly improve the prognosis, reduce the mortality as well as improve the immune function of SARS patients.