Distritution Characteristics of TCM Syndromes and Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Efficacy in 2506 Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with Different Course of Disease：A Real-World Retrospective Study
10.13288/j.11-2166/r.2025.23.011
- VernacularTitle:2506例类风湿关节炎不同病程患者中医证型分布特点及中医药疗效评价——一项真实世界回顾性研究
- Author:
Zhengyao SHEN
1
;
Jingtao LI
2
;
Yuchen YANG
1
;
Shujuan ZHANG
1
;
Quan JIANG
1
;
Xun GONG
1
Author Information
1. Guang'anmen Hospital，China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences，Beijing，100053
2. First Clinical School of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
rheumatoid arthritis;
course of disease;
traditional Chinese medicine sydnromes;
traditional Chinese medicine efficacy;
28-joint disease activity score
- From:
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2025;66(23):2453-2459
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo investigate the syndrome evolution patterns， characteristics of the used herbal medicinals， and efficacy variations across different stages of rheumatoid arthritis （RA） progression. MethodsBased on the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine （CERTAIN）， 2,506 RA patients were retrospectively enrolled and categorized into ＜6 months group （166 cases）， 6 months to ＜5 years group （1063 cases）， 5 to ＜20 years group （1067 cases）， and ≥20 years group （210 cases）. Syndromes were differentiated before and after traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） treatment， including damp-heat obstruction， wind-damp obstruction， cold-damp obstruction， blood stasis obstructed in the collaterals， phlegm-stasis obstruction， liver-kidney insufficiency， qi and blood deficiency， and qi-yin deficiency. The syndrome evolution rate was calculated for high-frequency syndromes before and after treatment. Analysis was conducted on top 20 frequently used Chinese herbs at the first diagnosis. Clinical efficacy of the 28-joint disease activity score based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate （DAS28-ESR） and 28-joint disease activity score based on C-reactive protein （DAS28-CRP） before and after treatment were assessed. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors affecting the efficacy of TCM treatment. ResultsPatients with course of disease shorter than 6 months predominantly presented with cold-dampness obstruction syndrome （49/166， 29.5%）， wind-dampness obstruction syndrome （46/166， 27.7%）， and dampness-heat obstruction syndrome （43/166， 25.9%）. For patients with course of disease logner than 6 months and shorter than 5 years and those within 5 to 20 years， the dominant syndrome was dampness-heat obstruction syndrome （324/1063， 30.5% and 318/1067， 29.8%， respectively）. In patients with disease duration ≥20 years， liver-kidney insufficiency syndrome and dampness-heat obstruction syndrome both predominated， each accounting for 25.24% （53/210）. The syndromes with more than 100 cases before treatment and a syndrome evolution rate greater than 10% after treatment were dampness-heat obstruction （201/738， 27.2%）， liver-kidney insufficiency （119/367， 32.4%）， and phlegm-stasis obstruction syndromes （73/172， 42.4%）. These were classified as high-frequency syndromes. After treatment， damp-heat obstruction syndrome and liver-kidney insufficiency syndrome primarily evolved into wind-damp obstruction syndrome， while phlegm-stasis obstruction syndrome evolved into damp-heat obstruction and cold-damp obstruction syndrome. The top two commonly used Chinese herbs across all groups were Gancao （Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae） and Baishao （Radix Paeoniae Alba）. In the ＜6 months group and the 6 months to ＜5 years group， high-frequency herbs also included Fangfeng （Radix Saposhnikoviae）， Duhuo （Radix Angelicae Pubescentis）， Chuanxiong （Rhizoma Chuanxiong）， and Qianghuo （Radix et Rhizoma Notopterygii）. In the 5 to ＜20 years group and the ≥20 years group， the usage of Huangqi （Radix Astragali）， Fuling （Poria）， Niuxi （Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae）， and Danggui （Radix Angelicae Sinensis） increased， while the proportion of Fangfeng and Duhuo decreased. After treatment， the DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP scores in all groups significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. There were statistically significant differences in clinical efficacy based on DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP across all groups （P＜0.01）. Multivariate logistic regression revealed significantly reduced treatment efficacy in the 6 months-5 years group （OR=0.4）， 5~20 years group （OR=0.5）， and ≥20 years group （OR=0.4） compared to the ＜6 months group. ConclusionRA syndromes follow a progression pattern from excess to deficiency， with corresponding transition in herbal usage from pathogen-eliminating to healthy qi-reinforcing approaches. TCM intervention can significantly reduce disease activity of RA， with superior efficacy in patients with disease duration shorter than 6 months.
