OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of Huatan Zhuyu Jiedu Decoction (HZJD) in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

METHODSOne hundred AS patients were randomly divided into two groups, the 60 patients in the treated group were treated with HZJD, the 40 patients in the control group were treated with Duhuo Jisheng Decoction. Treatment for both groups was orally given 1 dose per day in decoction form for 1 month as a treatment course. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated after 1-3 treatment courses.

RESULTSThe effect of treatment in the treated group was short-term controlled in 12 patients, markedly effective in 29, improved in 16 and ineffective in 3, the total effective rate was 95% (57 cases), while in the control group, the corresponding figure was 2, 8, 20, 10 and 75% (30 cases), comparison between the two groups showed significant difference (chi 2 = 20.85, P < 0.01). The manifestation of symptoms of patients in both groups improved obviously, the pain in loin and back alleviated, spinal motion (flexion forward, extension backward and lateral inclination) improved and thoracic expansion increased. Laboratory indices such as ESR, C3, IgA and CRP reduced obviously after treatment (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and better effect was shown in the treated group (P < 0.05). X-ray film after treatment showed improvement in 11 cases in the treated group and 4 in the control group, inter-group comparison showed significant difference (chi 2 = 7.99, P < 0.01), the effect of HZJD was better than that of the control.

CONCLUSIONHZJD has definite therapeutic effect in treating AS.