Article: Treatment effectiveness of two Chinese herbal medicine formulae in upper respiratory tract infections: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial

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TitleTreatment effectiveness of two Chinese herbal medicine formulae in upper respiratory tract infections: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
AuthorsWong, W1
Lam, CLK1
Fong, DYT1
KeywordsChinese medicine
Family medicine
Infectious diseases
Multidisciplinary care
Randomized controlled trial
Issue Date2012
PublisherOxford University Press. The Journal's web site is located at http://fampra.oxfordjournals.org/
CitationFamily Practice, 2012, v. 29 n. 6, p. 643-652 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cms027
AbstractAim and objectives To study the effect of two Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) formulae in treating acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), diagnosed by Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), compared to placebo. Design Two randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trials nested in a study of 327 patients who were diagnosed with URTIs in Hong Kong. Subjects were classified into one of two TCM syndrome groups by a Chinese medicine practitioner and randomized to receive the corresponding CHM formulae or placebo up to maximum of 10 days. The proportions of patients who had resolution of illness on Days 4 and 7 were the primary outcomes. The duration of symptom resolution, health-related quality of life scores measured by the SF-36 and ChQOL, and adverse effects were secondary outcomes. Results There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment and placebo in resolution rates at Day 4 or 7. The mean time of resolution of symptoms was Day 10, for either wind-cold or wind-heat syndrome. Both patients in treatment and placebo had significantly improved in health-related quality of life with time, but patients in wind-cold group had significantly more improvement in the SF-36 general health score (P = 0.01) than placebo. Conclusions Two CHM formulae commonly used for URTIs were not found to be more effective than placebo in either cure or reduction of symptoms of URTIs. However, Jing Fan Bai Du san might be able to improve general health more than placebo for patients with wind-cold syndrome. Both formulae were not associated with any more side effects.
ISSN0263-2136
2011 Impact Factor: 1.503
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.109
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cms027
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.authorWong, W
dc.contributor.authorLam, CLK
dc.contributor.authorFong, DYT
dc.date.accessioned2012-08-16T05:53:05Z
dc.date.available2012-08-16T05:53:05Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractAim and objectives To study the effect of two Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) formulae in treating acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), diagnosed by Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), compared to placebo. Design Two randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trials nested in a study of 327 patients who were diagnosed with URTIs in Hong Kong. Subjects were classified into one of two TCM syndrome groups by a Chinese medicine practitioner and randomized to receive the corresponding CHM formulae or placebo up to maximum of 10 days. The proportions of patients who had resolution of illness on Days 4 and 7 were the primary outcomes. The duration of symptom resolution, health-related quality of life scores measured by the SF-36 and ChQOL, and adverse effects were secondary outcomes. Results There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment and placebo in resolution rates at Day 4 or 7. The mean time of resolution of symptoms was Day 10, for either wind-cold or wind-heat syndrome. Both patients in treatment and placebo had significantly improved in health-related quality of life with time, but patients in wind-cold group had significantly more improvement in the SF-36 general health score (P = 0.01) than placebo. Conclusions Two CHM formulae commonly used for URTIs were not found to be more effective than placebo in either cure or reduction of symptoms of URTIs. However, Jing Fan Bai Du san might be able to improve general health more than placebo for patients with wind-cold syndrome. Both formulae were not associated with any more side effects.
dc.description.natureLink_to_subscribed_fulltext
dc.identifier.citationFamily Practice, 2012, v. 29 n. 6, p. 643-652 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cms027
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cms027
dc.identifier.epage652
dc.identifier.hkuros203629
dc.identifier.issn0263-2136
2011 Impact Factor: 1.503
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.109
dc.identifier.issue6
dc.identifier.pmid22490614
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-84869998348
dc.identifier.spage643
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/159597
dc.identifier.volume29
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherOxford University Press. The Journal's web site is located at http://fampra.oxfordjournals.org/
dc.publisher.placeUnited Kingdom
dc.relation.ispartofFamily Practice
dc.subjectChinese medicine
dc.subjectFamily medicine
dc.subjectInfectious diseases
dc.subjectMultidisciplinary care
dc.subjectRandomized controlled trial
dc.titleTreatment effectiveness of two Chinese herbal medicine formulae in upper respiratory tract infections: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
dc.typeArticle
Author Affiliations
  1. The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine