OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Chaiqin Chengqi Decoction (, CQCQD) on regulating serum matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

METHODSThirty-five SAP patients hospitalized in West China Hospital from September 1, 2008 to February 28, 2009 were randomly assigned to two groups using a computer-derived random number sequence in a ratio of 1:1, treatment group (18 patients) and the placebo control group (17 patients). The patients in the treatment group were administered with CQCQD by gastric perfusion (50 mL/2 h) and retention enema (200 mL/6 h) for 7 days. The two groups had similar baseline information. The clinical indicators, including the initial Balthazar's computed tomography (CT) score, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) scores on 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th day, incidences and durations of complications and the serum C-reactive protein (CRP), levels of MMP-9 on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th day, were recorded and compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe serum MMP-9, CRP and the APACHE II scores on the 3rd, 5th and 7th day in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The serum MMP-9 was positively correlated with the APACHE II score on the 1st day (r=0.430, P=0.01). The durations of acute respiratory distress syndrome (5.4±2.4 vs. 2.9±1.3), acute hepatitis (4.6±0.8 vs. 1.9±0.6) and acute heart failure (3.9±1.6 vs. 1.3±0.6, <0.05) in the control group were longer than those in the treatment group.

CONCLUSIONCQCQD could decrease the serum MMP-9 to relieve the severity of clinical symptoms and prevent the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in patients with SAP.