Objective

2

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Qingbu Weijing decoction in the treatment of patients suffering from stable bronchiectasis complicated with airway mucus hypersecretion （Qi and Yin deficiency， phlegm heat accumulation in lung）.

Method

2

Eighty patients with stable bronchiectasis and airway mucus hypersecretion were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group， 40 in each group. In the observation group， 38 cases were finally included for 1 case was lost and 1 withdrew， while in the control group， 35 cases were finally included for 1 case was lost and 4 withdrew. The observation group was po administered with Qingbu Weijing decoction granules， 1 dose twice a day. The control group was treated with oral Carbocysteine Oral Solutioncarboxymethylstein， 500 mg each time for three times a day. Both groups received health education and postural drainage. After 12 weeks of treatment and 12 months of follow-up， the changes in the number of acute exacerbations， Cough and Sputum Assessment Questionnaire （CASA-Q）， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， lung function ［percentage of peak expiratory flow （PEF） to estimated value （PEF% pred）， percentage of forced expiratory volume in one second to estimated value （FEV

1

%pred）， FEV

1

/forced vital capacity （FVC）］ and serum inflammatory factors ［C-reactive protein （CRP）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-

α

）， interleukin -8 （IL-8）， interleukin -10 （IL-10）， neutrophil elastase （NE）］ levels in the two groups after treatment were evaluated.

Result

2

The number of acute exacerbations in the observation group was lower than that in the control group after 12 weeks of treatment and 12 months of follow-up （

P

<

0.01）. Compared with the condition before treatment， the cough symptom domain （COUS） score of CASA-Q in the observation group was increased after 4， 8， 12 weeks of treatment and 3， 6， 9， 12 months of follow-up， while the COUS score in the control group was increased during treatment but decreased during follow-up， with the observation group higher than the control group （

P

<

0.05，

P

<

0.01）. The cough influence domain （COUI） score in the observation group was higher than that before treatment at 4， 8， 12 weeks after treatment and 3， 6， 9， 12 months after follow-up， while the COUI score in the control group was lower than that before treatment， with the observation group superior to the control group （

P

<

0.05，

P

<

0.01）. In terms of sputum symptom domain （SPUS）， the two groups both had elevated SPUS score after 4， 8， 12 weeks of treatment and 3， 6， 9， 12 months of follow-up， but the observation group was better than the control group （

P

<

0.05，

P

<

0.01）. In terms of sputum influence domain （SPUI）， the observation group had elevated SPUI score after 4， 8， 12 weeks of treatment and 3， 6， 9， 12 months of follow-up， while the control group presented increased SPUI score during treatment but reduced score during follow-up， with the observation group higher than the control group at 3， 6， 9 months of follow-up （

P

<

0.05）. The observation group outweighed the control group in the effective rate， while difference was only observed between the two groups after 8 weeks of treatment （

χ

2

=3.868，

P

<

0.05） and 3 months of follow-up （

χ

2

=6.510，

P

<

0.05）. Compared with the condition before treatment， the TCM symptom score was lowered in both groups after 4， 8， and 12 weeks of treatment and 3， 6， 9， 12 months of follow-up （

P

<

0.01）， and except for 4 weeks of treatment， the observation group had more reduction than the control group （

P

<

0.05）. The pulmonary function of patients in the observation group was improved compared with the condition before treatment， and there was difference in PEF% pred in intergroup and intragroup comparisons （

P

<

0.05）. Both groups had reduced level of serum inflammatory factors， but difference was only observed in TNF-

α

， IL-8， IL-10 and NE in the observation group compared with those before treatment （

P

<

0.05）， and in IL-8 between the two groups （

P

<

0.05）.

Conclusion

2

Qingbu Weijing decoction in the treatment of stable bronchiectasis patients with airway mucus hypersecretion （Qi and Yin deficiency， phlegm and heat accumulation in lung） can significantly alleviate their cough and expectoration and reduce the repeated acute exacerbation， and can down-regulate the level of serum inflammatory factors， thereby improving the lung function of patients to a certain extent.