Traditional Chinese Medicine Compound Preparations Are Associated with Low Disease‐Related Complication Rates in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 11,074 Patients

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate whether traditional Chinese medicine compound preparations (TCMCPs) are associated with rheumatoid arthritis- (RA-) related complications (including readmission, Sjogren’s syndrome, surgical treatment, and all-cause death) in patients with RA. Methods. Clinical outcome data were retrospectively collected from patients with RA discharged from the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from January 2009 to June 2021. The propensity score matching method was used to match baseline data. Multivariate analysis was conducted to analyze sex, age, the incidence of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia and identify the risk of readmission, Sjogren’s syndrome, surgical treatment, and all-cause death. Users of TCMCP and nonusers of TCMCP were defined as the TCMCP and non-TCMCP groups, respectively. Results. A total of 11,074 patients with RA were included in the study. The median follow-up time was 54.85 months. After propensity score matching, the baseline data of TCMCP users corresponded with those of non-TCMCP users, with 3517 cases in each group. Retrospective analysis revealed that TCMCP significantly reduced clinical, immune, and inflammatory indices in patients with RA, and these indices were highly correlated. Notably, the composite endpoint prognosis for treatment failure in TCMCP users was better than that in non-TCMCP users ( HR = 0.75 (0.71-0.80)). The risk of RA-related complications in TCMCP users with high-exposure intensity ( HR = 0.669 (0.650-0.751)) and medium-exposure intensity ( HR = 0.796 (0.691-0.918)) was significantly lower than those in non-TCMCP users. An increase in exposure intensity was associated with a concomitant decrease in the risk of RA-related complications. Conclusion. The use of TCMCPs, as well as long-term exposure to TCMCPs, may lower RA-related complications, including readmission, Sjogren’s syndrome, surgical treatment, and all-cause death, in patients with RA.

Huangqin Qingre Chubi Capsule is Associated with Reduced Risk of Readmission in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Real-World Retrospective Cohort Study

“…In a clinical retrospective cohort study of more than 10,000 patients, we found that TCM significantly reduced the risk of readmission, complications, surgical treatment, and all-cause mortality in patients with RA. 10 Compared to individual components, TCM compound formulae allow for the combined advantage of individual components for treatment of the same disease. For example, Juanbi Decoction is a TCM compound that has been shown to relieve joint pain, swelling, and morning stiffness in patients with RA cold-dampness patterns and reduce the expression of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and rheumatoid factor (RF).…”

Matrine, a potential drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

“…In recent years, with the continuous improvement of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the concurrent development of TCM component identification technologies, a growing number of TCM preparations have been used to treat RA, revealing unique curative effects. 17,18 Animal experiments and clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of matrine and derived Chinese herbal medicines, including oxymatrine and matrine derivatives, in the treatment of RA. The therapeutic mechanism of matrine potentially involves various pathways; however, there is a scarcity of literature on this topic.…”