OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of Qinghuang Powder combined with Chinese herbs for reinforcing Shen and strenghening Pi in treating myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

METHODSfifty-five patients with diagnosis fitting to MDS were treated with Qinghuang Powder and decoction for strengthening Pi and reinforcing Shen, in combination with Stanozololum.

RESULTSEleven patients (20.0%) out of the 55 were completely remitted (CR), the total effective rate being 74.5% (41/55 cases). By FAB typing, 9 (26. 5%) in the 34 patients of type RA/RAS were CR, with the total effective rate of 82.4% (28/34 cases), and in the 21 patients of type RAEB, 9.5% (2/21 cases) were CR with the total effective rate of 61.9% (13/21 cases), showing insignificant statistical difference between the two types (P > 0.05). By international prognostic scoring system (IPSS), the treatment was evaluated as CR in 10 patients, effective in 25 and ineffective in 11 in 36 patients of moderate risk group I , the responding numbers were 1, 4, 2 in 7 patients of moderate risk group II and 0, 3, 3 in 6 patients of high risk group, respectively, also showing insignificant difference between groups (P > 0.05). Levels of Hb, WBC and platelet significantly increased after treatment (P < 0. 05). By cytogenetics, the effective rate was 68.8% (11/16 cases) in patients with abnormal chromosome and 72.7% (24/33 cases) in those with normal chromosome, with insignificant difference (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe comprehensive therapy with TCM treatment for reinforcing Shen and dissolving stasis in dominance has a definite clinical effect in treating MDS, it was not significantly associated with FAB typing, IPSS score, and chromosome abnormality of patients.