title: Clinical efficacy of Yingliu treatment for Graves disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) mixture Yingliu combined with methimazole medication for the treatment of Graves disease (GD).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized, paralleled control study, 92 GD patients were randomized into a Yingliu mixture treatment and a control treatment group, both receiving methimazole. Both treatments lasted for 12 weeks and outcome parameter were thyroid function, thyroid autoantibodies, TCM symptome scores and safety indicators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical efficiency of the Yingliu mixture-methimazole combination was 92.5% vs. 82.5% (P < 0.05) of the solely methimazole medication group. After 12 weeks treatments the Yingliu mixture in combination with methimazole improved free triiodothyronine (FT3), free tetraiodothyronine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor antibody (TRAb) and thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb) values significantly more than methimazole alone and TCM symptome scores were significant lower after 12 week treatment in the Yingliu mixture- methimazole group (P < 0.05). The thyroid enlargement (21 vs. 10, P < 0.05), fatigue (39 vs. 30, P < 0.01) and dry mouth symptoms (37 vs. 29, P < 0.05) were superior improved in the Yingliu than in the control medication group, respectively. There was no significant difference regarding safety evaluations between both treatment groups (P = 0.499).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Yingliu mixture as combined medication with methimazole can significantly improve the outcome of a solely methimazole application for GD treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM No 725, South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Weihai Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital No 29, North Qingdao Road, Weihai 264200, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM No 725, South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM No 725, South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Juanhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM No 725, South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Yilei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM No 725, South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Tengfei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM No 725, South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Qiuye
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Graves disease; TCM; Yingliu mixture; methimazole