[Clinical observation on the preventive effect of kangdu bufei decoction on acute severe respiratory syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the preventive protection of Kangdu Bufei Decoction (KBD) on acute severe respiratory syndrome (SARS) in medical personnel of Hong Kong at the epidemic period.


METHODS
At the epidemic period of SARS in Hong Kong, there were 2,601 medical staffs administered with KBD distributed by the Center. It was confirmed that 1,063 persons had taken it for successive two weeks according to the request and returned the effective questionnaire, they were regarded as the TCM group. The control group was consisted of 15,374 subjects who didn't take Chinese herbal medicine. Contents of the questionnaire including the condition of testee in terms of quality of life (QOL), changes of influenza-like symptoms and Warm disease symptoms. Serum immunological examination had been conducted in 37 of the persons in the TCM group.


RESULTS
No one in the TCM group got SARS infection while in the control group, 64 (0.4%) had got. Self-control before and after treatment examination showed that significant improvement appeared in the TCM in aspects of influenza-like and Warm disease symptoms and QOL. The results of serum immunological examination showed that after administration of KBD, the immunity of organism was improved and elevated.


CONCLUSIONS
KBD could prevent the occurrence of SARS, it is possibly realized through improving symptoms, elevating QOL and enhancing immunity of organism.
Liu
De-hui
DH
Center for Epidemiology & Biostatistics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. jlau@cuhk.edu.hk
Liang
Bing-zhong
BZ
Huang
Li-yi
LY
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal