Observation Of Clinical Effect Of XuanGuoWei Professor's Bantu Decoction In Treatment Of Alopecia Areata

BackgroundAlopecia areata(AA) is a hair-loss condition which usually affects the scalp. The most common type of alopecia areata involves hair loss in one or more round spots on the scalp. It happens suddenly, aggravates slowly, and has tendency of recurrence. AA is a common skin disease damaging one's appearance, so it usually brings a huge suffering to the patients and affects their life quality. So far the causes of AA haven't been very clear yet. None of the various treatments has a certain effect. In traditional chinese medicine (TCM), AA has been known as "You Feng" for a long history. Numerous masters have done a lot of deep researches on it, and accumulated many effective treatments. Professor Xuan Guowei who inherits the essence of treating AA extracted from the ancients, has created his own viewpoints and treatments, which achieve a good clinical effect.ObjectiveThrough carrying out the randomized controlled trial on the comparison of effectiveness between traditional chinese medicine (Xuanlao Bantu Decoction plus Wufa Shengfa Tincture and Salvia Point-injection) and integrated traditional chinese and western medicine (Compound Glycyrrhizin Tablets plus Wufa Shengfa Tincture and Salvia Point-injection) in treatment of Alopecia areata. The result suggests the former has better effect than the latter. This research elaborates professor Xuan's academic thought and experience on AA by a scientific method. It provides theoretical basis for both the inheritance of essence of the Professor Xuan's experience and the clinical advantage of his Kidney-Nourishing Therapy for AA.Methods88 outpatients from department of dermatology were randomly divided into two groups. The patients in observation group received Xuanlao Bantu Decoction plus Wufa Shengfa Tincture and Salvia Point-injection treatment, while those in control group received Compound Glycyrrhizin Tablets plus Wufa Shengfa Tincture and Salvia Point-injection treatment. Each group received a clinical evaluation separately before the treatment, and at the end of a month,two months and three months after the treatment. We observed the main final indicator (the lesion size and growth of hair), and reported the adverse events and reactions.ResultsThroughout a randomized controlled trial, we analyzed the lesion sizes pre and post treatment of the observation group, there was statistical difference between pre and post treatment (Z=-5.512, P=0.000<0.01). And for the control group we did a t-test, there was statistical difference between pre and post treatment (t=8.398, P=0.000<0.01). Both groups have statistical significances. At the end of the course, the lesion size of the observation groups was 2.43±3.28cm2, while 4.48±3.64cm2 of the control groups, which was significantly smaller than that of the observation group. The observation groups had better efficiency than the control group.At the first month of the treatment, the difference of clinical effect between both groups had no statistical significance (Z=0.712, P=0.476>0.05). At the second month of the treatment, the result was similar (Z=1.193, P=0.232>0.05). At the end of the treatment, there was statistical difference between both groups (Z=3.11, P=0.001<0.05). The clinical effect of the observation group was better than the control group.ConclusionThe observation group had a better curative effect than the control group. Xuanlao Bantu Decoction had a good clinical efficiency and good safety.