title: Long-term follow-up of Chinese herbal medicines combined with conventional treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome after percutaneous coronary intervention: A multicenter randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prognosis effect of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) for benefiting qi and activating blood circulation adjunctive to conventional treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 702 patients with ACS who underwent PCI were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive conventional treatment plus CHMs for benefiting qi and activating blood circulation (treatment group, 351 cases) or conventional treatment alone (control group, 351 cases) for 6 months. Six months later, all patients received conventional treatment alone. Follow-ups were scheduled at 6th, 12th, 18th, 24th month after enrollment in April 2008, and the final follow-up visit was during September 2011 and November 2011. The primary endpoint was the composite of cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction or revascularization (PCI or coronary artery bypass grafting); and the secondary endpoint was the composite of re-admission for ACS, congestive heart failure, nonfatal stroke or other thrombus events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 621 (88.59%) patients completed 35.4±3.8 months follow-up, while 80 (11.41%) patients withdrew from the trial (41 in the treatment group and 39 in the control group). The incidence of primary endpoint was 5.7% (20 patients) in the treatment group versus 10.86% (38 patients) in the control group [relative risk (RR): 0.53; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.30, 0.88; P=0.013; absolute risk reduction (ARR):-0.052, 95% CI: -0.06, 0.01]. The incidence of secondary endpoint was 5.98% (21 patients) in the treatment group versus 10.28% (36 patients) in control group (RR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.33, 0.97, P=0.037; ARR: -0.043, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.01). Most of the primary and secondary endpoints were occurred in 18 months (84.50% in the treatment group versus 78.10% in the control group).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CHMs for benefiting qi and activating blood circulation adjunctive to conventional treatment improved clinical outcomes for patients with ACS after PCI in long-term follow-up.
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
authors: Pei-Li
authors: PL
authors: Wang
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China. 13581684969@163.com.
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100053, China.
authors: Shao-Li
authors: SL
authors: Wang
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
authors: Qiao-Ning
authors: QN
authors: Yang
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
authors: Zhu-Ye
authors: ZY
authors: Gao
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
authors: Jian-Peng
authors: JP
authors: Du
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
authors: Da-Wu
authors: DW
authors: Zhang
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
authors: Chang-Geng
authors: CG
authors: Fu
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
authors: Feng
authors: F
authors: Gu
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
authors: Hao
authors: H
authors: Xu
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
authors: Li-Zhi
authors: LZ
authors: Li
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
authors: Cheng-Long
authors: CL
authors: Wang
authors: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China. dazhuo_shi@163.com.
authors: Da-Zhuo
authors: DZ
authors: Shi
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Chinese medicine; acute coronary syndrome; benefit qi and activate blood circulation; long-term follow-up; percutaneous coronary intervention