title: [Clinical study of Qianggu granule and diacerein capsule in treating knee osteoarthritis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the therapeutic efficacy of Qianggu Granule (QGG), Diacerein Capsule (DC), and QGG + DC in treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA, belonging to Gan-Shen insufficiency induced vein stasis syndrome), and to explore the clinical advantages of QGG + DC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety patients in line with the diagnosis standard were randomly assigned to three groups, i. e., the QGG group (30 case, treated by QGG), the Western medicine treatment group (30 case, treated by DC), and the combination therapy group (30 case, treated by QGG +DC). Then the patients' symptoms and signs were scored. Meanwhile, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), comprehensive efficacy, and adverse reactions, etc. were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ache could be obviously alleviated, the patients' joint function could be improved, and their quality of daily activities could be elevated in all the 3 groups. There was statistical difference in the symptoms and signs scores, CRP, ESR, and TNF-alpha before and after treatment (P < 0.05). Better effects were obtained in the combination therapy group (P < 0.05). As for the comprehensive efficacy, it was better in the QGG + DC group than in the QGG group and the DC group, showing statistical difference (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The comprehensive therapeutic efficacy of applying QGG + DC in treating KOA (belonging to Gan-Shen insufficiency induced vein stasis syndrome) was superior to using QGG or DC alone. Besides, no obvious adverse reaction occurred.
authors.affiliation: College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou.
authors.forename: Fan-Sheng
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qi-Fu
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jing-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002214:Capsules; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D002214:Capsules; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C025292:diacerein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein