Clinical Study on Tuberculous Pleurisy and Pleura Thickness by Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction Combined with Conventional Western Medicine

MA Xiying, GAN Zhaoping

MA Xiying, GAN Zhaoping

Department of Integrated TCM and Western Medicine,

Shaanxi Tuberculosis Control and Prevention Hospital, Xi'an 710100, China

Abstract: Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction combined with conventional Western medicine for tuberculous pleurisy (TBP) and pleura thickness; To explore the possible mechanism. Methods Totally 150 cases of TBP and pleura thickness were divided into the experiment group and control group according to random number table method, with 75 cases in each group. 11 cases were lost. In the end, 71 cases were treated in the experiment group and 68 cases in the control group. The control group received conventional short-course intensive anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy + thoracentesis medium to large amount of effusion, while the experiment group was given Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction on the basis of the control group, 150 mL each time, three times a day, orally. The treatment for both groups lasted for two months. TCM syndrome scores, pleural drainage volume, pleural thickness, pleural effusion duration, pleural effusion index and clinical efficacy of the two groups were observed. Results The pleural drainage volume, pleural thickness and pleural effusion duration in the experiment group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the scores of fevers, cough, shortness of breath and thoracicgia were significantly improved after treatment in the two groups (P<0.05); The scores of fevers, cough, shortness of breath and thoracicgia in the experiment group were lower than those in the

control group (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the levels of pleural effusion tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), fibrinogen (FIB), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) decreased after treatment in both groups (P<0.05); The levels of TNF-α, FIB, TGF-β1 and ADA in the pleural effusion of the experiment group were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 97.2% (69/71) in the experiment group and 88.2% (60/68) in the control group, with statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction combined with conventional Western medicine can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms of patients with TBP and pleural thickness and improve clinical efficacy. The mechanism may be related to reducing the levels of TNF-α, FIB and TGF-β1 in pleural effusion of patients.

Keywords: tuberculous pleurisy; pleura thickness; Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction; conventional Western medicine; clinical study