Efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine compared with a macrolide in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps.
BACKGROUND
This study was designed to examine the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) without nasal polyps.


METHODS
Patients with CRS without nasal polyps were enrolled in the study. Before treatment,  they were evaluated by the Taiwanese version of the 20-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (TWSNOT-20), nasal endoscopy, saccharin test, and bacterial culture. Then, they were randomized to take CHM (Tsang-Erh-San extract granules and Houttuynia extract powder) or erythromycin for 8 weeks.  After treatment, they were evaluated again by the TWSNOT-20, nasal endoscopy, saccharin test, and bacterial culture.


RESULTS
Fifty-three patients completed the study with 26 in the CHM group and 27 in the erythromycin group. In both the CHM and the erythromycin groups,  TWSNOT-20 scores significantly decreased after treatment, but the decrease was not significantly different between the two groups. However, the saccharin transit times were shortened in more patients in the CHM group than in patients in the erythromycin group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our  results showed CHM had an efficacy similar to that of macrolides in the treatment of CRS without nasal polyps. However, a placebo effect remained possible in both treatment groups.
Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Rong-San
RS
Jiang
Shang-Heng
SH
Wu
Chen-Chen
CC
Tsai
Ya-Hsin
YH
Li
Kai-Li
KL
Liang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000188:drug therapy; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004917:Erythromycin