title: [Correlations of clinical symptoms and treatment efficacy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with Chinese herbal drugs or Western medicine].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the correlations between clinical symptoms and treatment efficacy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and thirteen patients were included in the clinical trial from 9 clinical centers. They were randomly divided into Western medicine-treated group with 204 cases and Chinese herbal drug-treated group with 209 cases. Eighteen clinical symptoms were evaluated before and after treatment. The Western medicine therapy included voltaren extended release tablets, methotrexate and sulfasalazine. The Chinese herbal drug therapy included glucosidorum Tripterygii totorum tablets and Yishen Juanbi Tablets combined with treatment based on syndrome differentiation. The American College of Rheumatology 20 (ACR20) was used as efficacy evaluation criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the Chinese herbal drug-treated group, clinical symptoms such as arthralgia and tenderness of joints were positively correlated with the efficacy after 12-week treatment, while frequent urination at night was negatively correlated. In the same group, tenderness of joints and fever were positively correlated with the efficacy after 24-week treatment, while deep-colored and turbid urine was negatively correlated. In the Western medicine-treated group, tenderness of joints and thirst were positively correlated with the efficacy after 12-week treatment, while vertigo was negatively correlated. And in the same group, tenderness of joints was positively correlated with the efficacy after 24-week treatment, while heaviness of limbs was negatively correlated to the efficacy. The statistical results showed that the treatment efficacy was improved when the correlated symptoms were included in the indications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The treatment efficacy of RA is correlated with some symptoms, so further studies should proceed on these correlations in order to achieve better treatment outcome.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Theory, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700, China. lap@jzjt.com
authors.forename: Ai-Ping
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Yi-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Qing-Lin
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Zha
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Yue-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Sheng-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xing-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Wan-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000188:drug therapy; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D029757:Tripterygium
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D008727:Methotrexate