Objective: To discuss the effect of differentiation maintenance treatment of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in patients with acute exacerbation type chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

and investigate its effects on recent symptoms

pulmonary function

and long term acute exacerbation. Method: One hundred and sixty eight patients were randomly divided into control group and observation group by random number table with use of SAS software. Patients in control group received budesonide and formoterol fumarate powder for inhalation

2 inhalations/days

2 times/days. Based on the treatment of control group

the patients in observation group received additional differentiation maintenance treatment of TCM. patients with lung-spleen Qi deficiency syndrome orally took Jinkexi capsules

4 capsules/time

tid. Patients with lung-kidney Qi deficiency syndrome orally took Gushen Dingchuan pills

1.5-2.0 g/time

tid. Patients with lung and kidney Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome took Bushen Ruifei decoction

30 mL/time

qd. Patients with heat-phlegm took Qingqi Huatan pills

6 g/time

tid. Patients with cold-phlegm took Kechuanshun pills

5 g/time

tid. Patients with blood stasis received Xuefu Zhuyu pills

8 g/time

bid. The course of treatment was 6 months for both groups

and 6 months of follow-up were recorded after the treatment. Before and after treatment

scores of clinical symptoms and modified British medical research council (mMRC) were graded. Levels of 1 second forced expiratory volume (FEV1)

percentage of estimated value of FEV1 (FEV1%) and severity of air flow limitation were evaluated. Levels of interleukins-6 (IL-6)

IL-8

tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were detected. And acute exacerbation was recorded and compared during the follow-up. Result: The total effective rate for COPD was 90.91% in observation group

higher than 74.6% in control group (χ2=6.058

P<0.05). After treatment

the scores of clinical symptoms and mMRC in observation group were lower than those in control group (P<0.01)

and FEV1% was higher than that in control group (P<0.05). The levels of CRP

IL-6

IL-8

and TNF-α in serum were lower than those in control group (P<0.01). And the limited severity of airflow was lower than that in control group (χ2=6.354

P<0.05). During the follow-up period

mean number of acute aggravation times and number of hospitalization in observation group were less than those in control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Differentiation maintenance treatment of TCM can relieve clinical symptoms

ameliorate pulmonary function and dyspnea

improve quality of life

control inflammatory reaction

decrease times of acute exacerbation in a long term and reduce acute aggravating risk factors

with both significant short-term and long-term benefits.