OBJECTIVETo investigate the current state of oral administration of Chinese patent medicine in treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the Westem medicine hospitals.

METHODSOutpatients of Department of Nephropathy, Peking University Third Hospital with diagnosed CKD confirmed by CKD diagnosis standard were surveyed by questionnaire in May 2009. The following patients' information was collected using the Questionnaire of the Current State of Oral Administration of Chinese Patent Medicine at CKD Clinics. (1) The present symptoms, tongue figure, pulse figure were syndrome typed referring to The Diagnosis, Syndrome Typing, and Efficacy Assessment of Chronic Renal Failure 2006 by Chinese Society of Renal Diseases, Chinese Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine. (2) Names of Chinese patent medicines and Western medicines patients use presently, the dose and dosage, names of hospitals responsible for prescriptions. (3) Patients' basic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, hyperuricemia, and so on at present. Irrational applications of Chinese patent medicines were classified according to the drug instruction and Guiding Principle of Clinical Application of Chinese Patent Medicines (issued by State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine). The irrationality was analyzed. Correlated factors such as age, sex, deficiency in origin syndrome, sthenia in superficiality syndrome, the nature and grade of hospitals responsible for prescriptions, total numbers of Chinese patent medicines, and primary diseases, etc. were analyzed using Logistic regression model. These factors might result in irrational application of Chinese patent medicines.

RESULTS102 questionnaires were handed out, with 78 effective ones. Of them, 41 patients (41/78, accounting for 52.6%) were taking Chinese patent medicines. Of the 41 patients, irrational application happened to 24 patients (24/41, accounting for 58.5%), absolute discrepancy of medicines and syndromes to 5 (5/41, accounting for 12.2%), repeated medication to 7 (7/41, accounting for 17.1%), and interaction to 2 (2/41, accounting for 4.9%). Logistic regression model was analyzed. Variables were screened by Enter method. The number of Chinese patent medicines had statistic significance (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe occurrence rate of irrational application of Chinese patent medicines in CKD outpatients in Westem medicine hospitals was higher. They were mainly manifested as absolute discrepancy of medicines and syndromes and repeated medication. Increased numbers of Chinese patent medicines in recipes would increase the occurrence rate of irrational application of Chinese patent medicines.