Objective: To observe the clinical effect of Qingfei Chengqi Decoction in the adjuvant therapy of severe pneumonia with syndrome of phlegm-heat obstructing lung and investigate its influences on levels of serum receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE)

tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6). Method: Ninety-six patients with severe pneumonia in ICU from our hospital were randomly divided into treatment group and control group (48 cases in each group) according to randomized digital table. The control group received routine treatments

with intravenous drip of linezolid injection (iv

gtt/12 h

600 mg/time). On the basis of treatment in control group

the treatment group also received Qingfei Chengqi decoction (1 dose/d

bid). The treatment course was 2 weeks for both groups. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom scores

the changes of arterial blood gas and sores of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation scoring system (APACHE)Ⅱ were compared pre-post treatment in 2 groups. The clinical effects were evaluated after treatment in both groups. The levels of RAGE

TNF-α and IL-6 in serum were detected pre-post treatment in 2 groups. Result: Scores of fever

cough

accumulating-phlegm and breath shortness in TCM symptom scores of treatment group were significantly lower than those of control group after treatment (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 95.83% in treatment group

superior to 79.17% in control group (P<0.05). Arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) and APACHEⅡ scores in treatment group were significantly lower than those of control group

while oxyhemoglobin saturation (SaO2) and partial pressure of blood oxygen (PaO2) were significantly higher than those of control group after treatment (P<0.01). The levels of RAGE

TNF-α and IL-6 in serum of treatment group were significantly lower than those of control group after treatment

with statistically significant differences(P<0.01). Conclusion: Qingfei Chengqi decoction combined with western medicine in the adjuvant therapy of severe pneumonia with the syndrome of phlegm-heat obstructing lung could significantly improve TCM symptom scores

APACHEⅡscores

arterial blood gas and clinical effect

and reducing the levels of RAGE

TNF-α

and IL-6 in serum may be one of its action mechanisms.