OBJECTIVETo investigate the quality of life in patients with gout and their influencing factors, and to observe the effects of the intervention program of stage-based treatment of integrative medicine (IM).

METHODSTotally 120 patients with acute attack of gout within 72 h were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group, 60 in each group. Patients in the treatment group were treated with Huzhang Tongfeng Granule (HTG), diclofenac sodium extended-release capsule and Jinhuang Ointment (JO) in the acute stage, and Yinlian Tongfeng Granule (YTG) and Benzbromarone Tablet (BT) in the intermission stage. Patients in the control group were treated with diclofenac sodium extended-release capsule in the acute stage, and BT in the intermission stage. All patients were treated for 12 weeks. The quality of life (QOL) before and after treatment was investigated by questionnaire.

RESULTSBefore treatment there were no statistical difference in the physiological function, psychological function, social function, health self-awareness and total score between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment the scores of the four aspects and the total score were significantly improved in the two groups (P < 0.01). And the improvement of the treatment group was better than that of the control group (P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in the gender, age, marital status, educational level, QOL with or without associated disease between the two groups (P > 0.05). The QOL of patients with joint stiffness or deformity was less than that of those without joint stiffness or deformity (P < 0.01). The total QOL scores of the gout patients were obviously correlated with the course of diseases (r = -0.324, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe QOL of patients with gout was correlated with the course of disease and joint stiffness or deformity. Stage-based treatment of IM could significantly improve the QOL of f out patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Benzbromarone ; therapeutic use ; Diclofenac ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gout ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universal Precautions

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Xiezhuo Chubi Recipe (XCR) on hyperuricemic patients.

METHODS99 patients with hyperuricemia were randomly assigned to the XCR group, the Benzbromarone group, and the blank control group. Patients in the XCR group took XCR, one dosage daily, twice per day. Patients in the Benzbromarone group took Benzbromarone Tablet (50 mg each tablet, once per day). Patients in the blank control group were not treated with any drug, but only with clinical observation. Twenty days consisted of one course of treatment. The laboratory data including uric acid, blood routines, urine routines, the liver function, and the renal function were statistically analyzed before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe blood uric acid decreased in the three groups after treatment (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 85.71% in the XCR group, 92.86% in the Benzbromarone group, and 23.33% in the blank control group. There was no statistical difference between the XCR group and the Benzbromarone group (P>0.0167). There was no significant difference in the safety indices such as blood routines, urine routines, liver functions, and renal functions of the XCR group between before and after treatment (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONXCR could effectively reduce the uric acid level with higher safety.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Benzbromarone ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia ; blood ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Uric Acid ; blood ; Young Adult

The object of this study was to evaluate the effect of uric acid lowering therapy in reducing the new development of comorbidities and the frequency of acute attacks in gout patients. We retrospectively reviewed patients who were diagnosed to have gout with at least 3 yr of follow up. They were divided into 2 groups; 53 patients with mean serum uric acid level (sUA)<6 mg/dL and 147 patients with mean sUA> or =6 mg/dL. Comorbidities of gout such as hypertension (HTN), type II diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and urolithiasis were compared in each group at baseline and at last follow-up visit. Frequency of acute gout attacks were also compared between the groups. During the mean follow up period of 7.6 yr, the yearly rate of acute attack and the new development of HTN, DM, CVD and urolithiasis was lower in the adequately treated group compared to the inadequately treated group. Tight control of uric acid decreases the incidence of acute gout attacks and comorbidities of gout such as HTN, DM, CVD and urolithiasis.
Adult ; Allopurinol/therapeutic use ; Antimetabolites/therapeutic use ; Benzbromarone/therapeutic use ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology/prevention & control ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology/prevention & control ; Enzyme Inhibitors/therapeutic use ; Female ; Gout/*drug therapy/*prevention & control ; Gout Suppressants/*therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypertension/epidemiology/prevention & control ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/epidemiology/prevention & control ; Retrospective Studies ; Thiazoles/therapeutic use ; Uric Acid/*blood/metabolism ; Uricosuric Agents/therapeutic use ; Urolithiasis/epidemiology/prevention & control