OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of treatment for tonifying qi, nourishing yin, activating blood circulation and removing stasis on insulin resistance (IR) in patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complicated with hypertension.

METHODSForty-five patients of T2DM with hypertension enrolled from authors' special clinics were equally randomized into two groups: the test group (20 patients) and the control group (25 patients). Both groups received orally hypoglycemic drugs, such as glipizide sustained-release tablets, pioglitazone, and metformin, and antihypertensive drug as nifedipine sustained-release tablets as well. Additionally, Sanqidan Granules (SQD), a Chinese patent medicine was given to the test group. The course of treatment lasted for 8 weeks. The clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine syndromes, blood pressure, T2DM related indices and blood lipids in the two groups were observed.

RESULTSThe effect in improving Chinese medicine syndromes in the test group was better than that in the control group significantly (P <0.05). After treatment, all the indices were examined, except FINS and TG were improved in the test group, showing significant difference as compared with those before treatment; while in the control group, significant difference was only shown in terms of fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1 c, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and HDL-C (P <0.01). Comparison between groups showed that the effect in the former was better than that in the latter group in terms of decreasing FBG, HbA1c, SBP and increasing of HDL-C (P <0.05), while a downward trend of ISI in the test group was shown but with no statistical significance (P = 0.230).

CONCLUSIONSSQD can relieve the clinical symptoms in patients of syndrome of qi-yin deficiency and inner blockage of blood stasis, increase the insulin sensitivity and reduce the IR in patients, so as to decrease their FBG, blood pressure and HbAlc. It also can increase HDL-C level, and lower TC and LDL-C levels, which is beneficial to anti-atherosclerosis.