[X-ray analysis on 114 patients with moderate endemic skeletal fluorosis by treatment of Guo's Chinese herbal].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the X-ray features of bone damage in patients with moderate endemic skeletal fluorosis and the changes of X-ray after treatment with herbal therapy.


METHODS
From 2007.12 to 2009.8,114 patients with moderate endemic skeletal fluorosis were randomly divided into treatment group and control group by central randomization system. There were 60 patients in treatment group including 26 males and 34 females,aged from 39 to 60 years with an average of (51.68 +/- 4.98) years; There were 54 patients in control group included 30 males and 24 females, aged from 39 to 60 years with an average of (52.15 +/- 4.86) years. Both treatment and control groups were treated with basic treatment including calcium supplementation and preparation stage with herb decoction. Patients were orally given 600 mg Caltrate everyday for calcium suptrointestinal function and promoting the digestion and absorption of herb decoction for 3 days. Patients in treatment group were rally given Guo's Maqian decoction(200 ml,twice daily) for 8 weeks. Eight weeks later,Guo 's Maqian decoction was replaced y Guokangning capsule (0.44 g per cansule,2 capsules,three times daily) for 4 weeks. The treatment course lasted 12 weeks. The time for followed-up after treatment was 24 weeks. When the treatment finished, 7 experts on orthopaedics and radiology evaluated and statistically analyzed the X-ray features pre and post treatment,using expert evaluation scale (including the appearance and changes of osteosclerosis,osteoporosis softening,joint changes close to the bone and mixed changes) designed referring endemic skeletal fluorosis X-ray findings and sub-degree standard(WS192-2008).


RESULTS
All X-ray features of endemic skeletal fluorosis appeared in the X-ray of the 114 patients with moderate endemic skeletal fluorosis. Osteosclerosis: 4 cases in forearm, 7 in calf,4 in pelvis,4 in lumbar vertebrae ;Osteoporosis and bone softening: 23 cases in forearm patients, 23 in calf, 5 in pelvis, 8 in lumbar vertebrae; Mixed changes: 6 cases in forearm, 9 in calf, 10 in pelvis, 1 in lumbar vertebrae patients; oint changes: 107 cases in forearm, 47 in calf, 28 in pelvis, 19 in lumbar vertebrae. There were X-ray no changes before and after the treatment in all of parts in control group. In treatment group, there were only 2 patients showed extraperiostealin and joint changes after the treatment, in which one showed better ossification of interosseous membrane of leg and another one showed disappearance of the lateral hyperplasia of the left pelvic acetabulum. There were no changes between before and after treatment in X-ray of all parts in the rest patiens of the treatment group. There was no significant difference between before and after treatment in both groups (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
There is no obvious improvement in radiology of patients with skeletal fluorosis treated by Guo's therapy.
Sang
Zhi-Cheng
ZC
The Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, China.
Zhou
Wei
W
Zhang
Zhao-Jie
ZJ
Wu
Guan-Nan
GN
Guo
Pei-Hua
PH
Wang
Hui-Ming
HM
Si
Shu-Wen
SW
Zhao
Jing
J
Guo
Shi-Xiu
SX
D000328:Adult; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005461:Fluorine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D010026:Osteosclerosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005461:Fluorine