title: [Clinical study on spanishneedles leaves in treatment of middle and severe xerophthalmia of menopausal females].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical effect of spanishneedles leaves on middle and severe xerophthalmia of menopausal females.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a prospective random controlled trial. Ninty-six menopausal females diagnosed with xerophthalmnia (aged from 40 to 50) were randomly divided into in two groups: group A' the spanishneedles leaves group (n=48) and group B' the control group (n=48). Both groups were treated with Forte eye drops. All patients were detected at 3, 7, 28 h before and after treatment to evaluate subjective symptoms, OSDI and four tear film indicators. Variance analysis and differential analysis on sample average or median were made on both groups before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant difference in symptom and diction indicators between both groups before treatment. For 28 d after treatment, among middle and severe xerophthalmia samples of the spanishneedles leaves group, the mean differences showed significant improvement compared with that before treatment , OSDI and four tear film indicators also showed improvement to varying degrees. For 28 d after treatment, among middle and severe xerophthalmia samples of the vitamin C group, the mean differences showed no significant improvement compared with that before treatment , OSDI and four tear film indicators also showed no remarkable improvement. There were significant differences in OSDI, BUT, SIT, height of tear meniscus and FL between both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spanishneedles leaves can effectively improve symposiums and signs of middle and severe xerophthalmia among menopausal females and thus showing clinical significance to some extent.
authors.affiliation: First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China. Freebee992296@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Guo-dong
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Chong-gang
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Xin-hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000188:drug therapy*