Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy on the Trend in CD4+ T-Cell Counts among Patients with HIV/AIDS Treated with Antiretroviral Therapy: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study was conducted to explore the effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy on the long-term trends in CD4+ T-cell count among patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) who were treated with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) over a 14-year period. A total of 721 individuals were treated with cART alone (cART group), and 307 individuals were treated with both cART and TCM (TCM + cART group). Among all enrolled patients with HIV/AIDS, 99.5% were farmers, 71.1% had more than 6 years of education, and 96.8% were infected with HIV via a paid blood donation. For those patients with HIV/AIDS who had a baseline CD4+ T-cell count of <350 cells/mL, the CD4+ T-cell count tended to increase to approximately 350 cells/mL more rapidly in the TCM + cART group than in the cART group, but when the baseline CD4+ T-cell count was ≥350 cells/mL, there was no difference between the cART and TCM + cART groups. For other patients with HIV/AIDS who had a baseline CD4+ T-cell count of 350–500 cells/mL, the CD4+ T-cell counts tended to increase slightly, but there was no difference between the two groups. For patients with HIV/AIDS who had a baseline CD4+ T-cell count of ≥500 cells/mL, the CD4+ T-cell counts tended to be maintained at a particular level, with no difference between the two groups. The results show that the effect of TCM on the CD4+ T-cell counts of patients with HIV/AIDS is related to the CD4+ T-cell level at the time of initial treatment. TCM can increase the CD4+ T-cell count among patients with HIV/AIDS who have a baseline CD4+ T-cell count of <350 cells/mL. Sex and age have a slight influence on the therapeutic effect of TCM.

Treating older patients with AIDS using Traditional Chinese Medicine Combined with Conventional Western Medicine in China

“…A retrospective cohort study analyzed the efficacy of TCM therapy on long-term trends in CD4 + T cell counts among patients with HIV/AIDS who were treated with cART over a 14-year period [ 30 ]. The study included 307 patients who received TCM+cART and 721 patients treated with cART alone.…”

Chinese herbal medicine for drug-induced liver injury in patients with HIV/AIDS: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

“…For the effect of CHM on the trend of CD4+ T cell counts for patients with HIV/AIDS, a cohort study 42 involving 721 participants found CHM can increase the CD4+ level rapidly when the baseline <350 cells/mL, and the effect of CHM is related to the initial level. But when the baseline ≥350 cells/mL, no significant difference was found between CHM plus antiretroviral therapy with antiretroviral therapy.…”

Mortality Risk Factors among People Living with HIV Receiving Second-line Antiretroviral Therapy in Rural China

“…In Henan, CM has been used to treat HIV/AIDS for decade, many effects of CM on HIV/AIDS have been shown. For example, CM reduces plasma HIV viral loads, increases CD4+ T cell counts, promotes immune reconstitution, diminishes signs and symptoms, improves health-related quality of life, and reduces the adverse effects of antiretroviral drugs [33][34][35][36].…”