Multicenter clinical efficacy observation of integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine-Western Medicine treatment in acute onset period of pulmonary heart disease

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine-Western Medicine (TCM-WM) in the treatment of acute onset pulmonary heart disease (PHD). METHODS: A total of 240 patients met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled. These inpatients were divided into group A (treatment group) and B (control group) in order of admission according to the principles of randomization and Control. The research was performed simultaneously in three hospitals. Two groups were given basic treatment that included: controlled oxygen therapy, active and effective anti-infection, maintaining airway patency, correcting O-2 deficiency and CO2 retention, correcting acid-base imbalance and electrolyte disturbance, reducing pulmonary hypertension and treating right heart failure, nutritional support and treatment of complications. Group A was given basic treatment and integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) differentiating therapy; group B was given basic therapy and a placebo that was similar in appearance and taste to TCM medicinal broth of pharmaceutical preparations, provided by Yibin Pharmaceutical Company (Yibin, China, Wuliangye Group). RESULTS: The mortality in the treatment group decreased by 4.98% compared with the control group. The treatment group reported improved ventilation, corrected hypoxemia, improved nutritional status and promoted digestive functions. It also significantly improved the patient's self-life skills, improved the patient's quality of life and could shorten the length of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive integrated TCM-WM treatment showed good clinical efficacy toward the acute onset period of PHD patients. (C) 2016 JTCM. All rights reserved.