Observation on Curative Effect of Bushen Qianggu Chubi Decoction Combined with Western Medicine on Knee Osteoarthritis and Its Effect on Serum Anti-Inflammatory Factors
Abstract: Objective: To observe the curative effect of Bushen Qianggu Chubi Decoction (BQCD) combined with western medicine on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and its effect on serum anti-inflammatory factors. Methods: A total of 106 KOA patients were selected and divided into the control group and the treatment group according to the random number table method,with 53 cases in each group. The control group was treated with routine western medicine, and the treatment group was additionally treated with BQCD based on the treatment of the control group. The clinical effects and incidence of adverse reactions, and the changes in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome scores, scores of Western Ontario and McMaster University Arthritis Index (WOMAC),Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale and Short Form of Quality of Life (SF-36) Scale, and levels of serum anti-inflammatory factors [serum transforming growth factor- β1 (TGF- β1) and interleukin-13 (IL-13)] before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. Results: The total clinical effective rate was 96.23% in the treatment group and 83.02% in the control group,the difference being significant (P<0.05). After treatment,the TCM syndrome scores of joints pain, soreness of the waist and knees and thin and weak pulse in both groups were reduced when compared with those before treatment, and the above three scores in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the WOMAC scores in both groups were decreased when compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the scores of Lysholm and SF-36 were elevated when compared with those before treatment (P<0.05); the WOMAC score in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the scores of Lysholm and SF-36 were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of TGF- β1 and IL-13 in the two groups were down-regulated when compared with those before treatment (P<0.05),and the above two levels in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions was 11.32% in the control group and 7.55% in the treatment group,there being no significance in the difference (P>0.05). Conclusion: The therapy of BQCD combined with western medicine has a good clinical effect on KOA,which can effectively mitigate the patients' symptoms and vital signs of the body, improve the knee function and quality of life,and reduce the inflammatory responses with great safety.