title: [Effects of Qingshen Granule on serum interleukin-8 and -18 levels in patients with a sharp deterioration of chronic renal failure and dampness-heat syndrome: a randomized controlled trial].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dampness-heat syndrome is a major syndrome type in patients with a sharp deterioration of chronic renal failure (CRF). Qingshen Decoction, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, could relieve the clinical symptoms of CRF patients, and was considered to have a certain reversal effect on rapid deterioration of renal function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To observe the changes of serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) and IL-18 levels in CRF patients with a sharp deterioration and dampness-heat syndrome, and to explore the curative efficacy of Qingshen Granule.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty CRF patients with a sharp deterioration and dampness-heat syndrome from Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, were randomly divided into treatment group (30 cases) and control group (30 cases), with another 20 healthy individuals as normal control. The patients in the treatment and control groups were all treated with Jiedu Xiezhuo II, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, given as retention enema. Qingshen Granule was additionally administered to the patients in the treatment group with 1 dosage each time and 3 times a day. The treatment course was one month.
  
  
  METHODS
  The levels of serum IL-8 and IL-18 in the normal individuals and before and after treatment in the treatment and control groups were detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total response rates of treatment group in clinical efficacy assessment and assessment of syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine (86.67% and 86.67%) were higher than those of the control group (56.67% and 60%), and there were significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05). The levels of serum IL-8 and IL-18 in CRF patients before treatment were obviously higher than those in the healthy individuals (P<0.01), and there were no differences in the levels of IL-8 and IL-18 before treatment between the treatment group and control group (P>0.05). After one-month treatment, the levels of serum IL-8 and IL-18 were markedly decreased in the two groups (P<0.01), and the levels of serum IL-8 and IL-18 in the treatment group were markedly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). There were differences in decreased degrees of IL-8 and IL-18 levels between the two groups (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRF patients with a sharp deterioration and dampness-heat syndrome have high serum IL-8 and IL-18 levels. Qingshen Granule can reduce the levels of serum IL-8 and IL-18, and improve the renal function and ameliorate the clinical symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi-ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Shun-jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D020382:Interleukin-18; D016209:Interleukin-8