title: [Treatment of oligospermia/asthenozoospermia patients by three different Chinese medical principles: a randomized control clinical study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and safety of three different Chinese medical principles in treating patients with male infertility (oligospermia/asthenozoospermia).
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 128 patients with male infertility were classified into 3 groups, i.e., Shen-essence deficiency syndrome, Pi-Shen deficiency syndrome, Shen-deficiency blood-stasis syndrome. They were assigned to the Chinese medical treatment group (96 cases) and the Western medical treatment group (32 cases) by stratified randomization in the ratio of 3: 1. Those in the Chinese medical treatment group were treated with Chinese drugs for Shen invigorating and blood activating, Shen invigorating and Pi supplementing, Shen-qi benefiting. Those in the Western medical treatment group were treated with Clomifene (at the daily dose of 25 mg per day, once daily). Three months consisted of one therapeutic course. The parameters of semen, the pregnancy rate, and adverse reactions were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Totally 24 patients dropped out in the two group, 17 in the Chinese medical treatment group (9 patients of Shen deficiency blood stasis syndrome, 5 of Shen-Pi deficiency syndrome, and 3 of Shen-essence deficiency syndrome) and 7 in the Western medical treatment group. Compared with before treatment, there was no statistical difference in the improvement of semen amount at 3 months after treatment between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was statistical difference in the improvement of semen density, class A semen, class A +B semen, and 1-h activity ratio (P < 0.05). The improvement was most obvious in Shen deficiency blood stasis syndrome, followed by Shen-Pi deficiency syndrome and Shen-essence deficiency syndrome. The improvement was the weakest in the Western medical treatment group. There was no statistical difference in the improvement of semen amount, semen density, class A semen, or 1-h activity ratio at 3 months after treatment between the two groups (P > 0.05). Best effect was obtained in improving class A + B semen quality in patients of Shen deficiency blood stasis syndrome, showing statistical difference when compared with the other two syndrome types and the Western medical treatment group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). No obvious adverse reaction occurred in the two groups during the treatment course.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Shen invigorating and blood activating method could improve the semen density and semen activities, and it was superior to other therapeutic methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Guo-Jin
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jia-You
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qing-He
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Chun-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D055101:Semen Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal