OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy of Chinese traditional herbs (CTH) alone or combined with Western medicine (conventional treatment plus different doses of prednisone) in treating anaphylactic purpura nephritis (APN).

METHODSClinical data of 232 patients with APN were collected and analyzed. They were assigned to four groups. Patients in Group A1 were treated with CTH; in Group A2 were treated initially with Western medicine but turned midway to CTH; in Group B1 and B2 treated with CTH combined with conventional Western medicine and plus low or high dose of prednisone respectively. The comprehensive clinical efficacy on symptoms, physical signs, routine urine examination, blood creatinine and urea nitrogen, as well as the treatment duration and long-term effect in the four groups were observed.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in the comprehensive clinical effects among the four groups (P > 0.05). However, the treatment duration was significantly shorter in Group A1 and B1 than in the other two groups (P < 0.01). Follow-up study on patients in similar duration showed similar reoccurrence rate among groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONChinese herbs has definite effects on APN with the treatment course shorter than that of other treatments, the optimal protocol for treatment of APN is applying Chinese herbs alone or combined with conventional Western medicine plus low dose prednisone. It is necessary to conduct a follow-up study even though the patients have been cured.