title: [One-year evaluation of radiographic progress in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated by Qingre Huoxue decoction].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of Qingre Huoxue decoction, (QRHX) on radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with X-ray imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2007 to March 2009, 86 patients with active RA who were diagnosed as damp-heat and blood stasis syndrome were randomly divided into QRHX group and QRHX plus methotrexate (MTX) group, 43 cases in each group. Patients in the QRHX group were treated with QRHX decoction [composed of Huangbai, Chishao, Bixie, Danshen, Ezhu, Qingfengteng, raw Huangqi, Jinyinhua, Tufuling, Wugong, Fengfang, raw Yiyiren, which was cooked with water as 400 ml liquid); while patients in the other group were treated with QRHX decoction plus MTX. After one-year observation, 21 patients in each group (42 in total) were evaluated,with 19 females in QRHX group, average age of (43.0 +/- 11.3) years, and the course of the disease was 2 (1,3) years; and 18 females in QRHX+MTX group, average age of (44.5 +/- 14.0) years, and the course of the disease was 3 (1.7, 5) years. Radiographs of hands were obtained at baseline and 12 months after treatment. Images were evaluated by investigators blinded to chronology and clinical data, and assessed according to Sharp/van der Heijde methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High intrareader agreements were reached (mean intraobserver intraclass coefficients: 0.95). No significant change in any imaging parameters of joint destruction was observed at 12 months after treatment in both groups; and there were no statistical differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). The severity of progress in two groups was also similar (P = 0.46), 7 patients without radiographic progress in QRHX group and 8 patients in QRHX+MTX group,3 patients with obvious radiographic progress in QRHX group and 1 patient in QRHX+MTX group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiographic progress of RA patients in two groups is similar, indicating QRHX decoction has a potential role in preventing bone destruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Guang'an Men Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Yao
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-Po
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D008727:Methotrexate