title: [Integrative medicinal therapy on herpes zoster in middle and old aged patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the therapeutic effect of integrative medicinal therapy with Qinzhu Liangxue Mixture (QLM) in combined with valaciclovir on herpes zoster (HZ) in middle and old aged patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-seven HZ patients were randomly assigned to three groups and treated respectively with QLM alone (A), valaciclovir alone (B) and QLM plus valaciclovir (C). Times for stopping newly appeared blisters, scabbing relieving pain, and curing, as well as incidence rate of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) after treatment were evaluated. Patients' symptoms and signs were scored before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Time for appeaed newly blister and scabbing was shorter in Group B than in Group A; time for relieving pain and curing was shorter in Group C than in Group A; and the PHN incidence rate in Group C was the lowest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Valaciclovir can control the skin rash of HZ with quicker initiating time, and QLM can effectively relieve pain, the combined use with the two drugs can decrease the incidence rate of PHN availably.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Yueyang Integrative Medical Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of TCM, Shanghai. wyf_cz@163.com
authors.forename: Yi-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Geng
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D055048:Integrative Medicine; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D014633:Valine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C550104:qinzhu liangxue; D014633:Valine; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D000212:Acyclovir