OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination therapy using Chinese medicine (CM) Shenzhu Guanxin Recipe (, SGR) and standard Western medicine treatment (SWMT) in patients with angina pectoris after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODSDouble-blind randomized controlled trial was used in this experimental procedure. One hundred and eighty-seven patients with coronary heart disease receiving SWMT after PCI were randomly assigned to the treatment (SGR) and control (placebo) groups. Outcome measures including angina pectoris score (APS), CM symptom score, and Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) score were evaluated in 1, 2, 3 and 12 months, and the death rate, restenosis and other emergency treatments were observed. The mixed-effects models were employed for the data analysis.

RESULTSIn the treatment group, a larger within-treatment effect size (d=1.74) was found, with a 76.7% reduction in APS from pretreatment to 12-month follow-up assessment compared with the control group (d=0.83, 53.8% symptom reduction); betweentreatment (BT) effect size was d=0.66. CM symptom scores included an 18.3% reduction in the treatment group (d=0.46), and a 16.1% decrease in the control group (d=0.31); d=0.62 for BT effect size. In regard to scores of SAQ, the BT effect size of cognition level of disease was larger in the treatment group (d=0.63), followed by the level of body limitation of activity (d=0.62), condition of angina pectoris attacks (d=0.55), satisfaction level of treatments (d=0.31), and steady state of angina pectoris (d=0.30). Two cardiovascular related deaths and one incidental death were recorded in the control and treatment groups, respectively. No significant difference in any cardiovascular event (including death toll, frequency of cardiovascular hospitalization or emergency room visits) was found between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONThe combination therapy of SGR and SWMT is effective and safe in patients with angina pectoris after PCI when compared with SWMT alone.