title: [Effects of Ruanjian Xiaoying Decoction on chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical outcome of Ruanjian Xiaoying Decoction (RJXYD) on chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty patients with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis were randomly divided into RJXYD-treated group (n=40) and control group (n=40). The patients in the RJXYD-treated group received treatment of RJXYD combined with levothyroxine while the others in the control group received treatment of levothyroxine and prednisone both for 16 weeks. The serum levels of thyroid hormones and the titres of serum antithyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG Ab) and antithyroid microsomal antibody (anti-TM Ab) were all examined before and after treatment. The total response rates of the two groups were evaluated after treatment of 16 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total response rate of the RJXYD-treated group was 92.5%, while that of the control group was 60.0% (P<0.01). The serum levels of free triiodothyronine (FT(3)) and free thyroxine (FT(4)) were obviously increased after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the two groups. The titres of serum anti-TG Ab and anti-TM Ab and the serum level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were all obviously decreased after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The RJXYD can shrink and soften the enlarged thyroid gland and thyroid nodules, improve the immune function of human body, alleviate the response to thyroid self-antigens and promote the recovery of thyroid function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China. fangbji@163.com
authors.forename: Bang-Jiang
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xi-Qiu
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yun-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D013963:Thyroid Hormones
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; C006606:anti-thyroglobulin