[Effect of strengthening Pi and activating blood circulation therapy on serum levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone and vascular endothelial growth factor in rheumatoid arthritis patients].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of strengthening Pi and activating blood circulation therapy (SPAB) on serum levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.


METHODS
Seventy RA patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups. The 30 in the Chinese medicine (CM) group were treated with SPAB; the 20 in the Western medicine (WM) group were treated with indomethacin and methopterin; and the 20 in the CM-WM group were treated with the combination of the therapy in the above two groups, and the course of treatment was 3 months for all. Serum levels of ACTH and VEGF were determined before and after treatment.


RESULTS
The total effective rate in the CM group was 80.0%, WM group 85.0% and CM-WM group 95.0%, the last one showed the best efficacy (P<0.05). Serum level of ACTH increased and level of VEGF decreased after treatment in all groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), but the increment/decrement in the CM-WM group was higher than that in the other two groups (P<0.01), while comparison between that in the CW group and WM group showed insignificant difference.


CONCLUSIONS
SPAB therapy has the effect in alleviating the condition of RA, similar to that of Western medicine, it can increase the serum level of ACTH and decrease the serum level of VEGF remarkably in RA patients.
Yu
Jian-ping
JP
Department of Internal Medicine for Rheumatic Diseases, Jiangxi Provincial Hospital of TCM, Nanchang. yujianping62@163.com
Zhang
Yan-zhen
YZ
Li
Xue-yong
XY
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D007213:Indomethacin; D008727:Methotrexate