Study On The Curative Effect Of "ShuGanSanJie" Prescription Treating Nodular Goiter (Liver Qi Depression Syndrome Type)

Objective:To estimate the therapeutic effect of "ShuGanSanJie" prescription on nodular goiter (NG) patients whose syndrome type are liver qi depression, and make comparison with patients treated with euthyrox.Methods:Seventy NG patients were divided parallel comparatively into two groups:the traditional Chinese medicine group (n=35, to be treated with "ShuGanSanJie" prescription) and the compared group ((n=35, to be treated with euthyrox), three months for a treatment course. Observe and analyze comparatively the related indicators (including related symptoms and signs, thyroid nodule volume and the maximum diameter measured by ultra-sound test, the thyroid function, anti-thyroid autoantibody).Results:After the treatment, all cases statistically available are 64 patients, in which 33 cases belongs to the traditional Chinese medicine group, while 31 cases belongs to the compared group.(1) Comparison on disease therapeutic effect between the two groups:the traditional Chinese medicine group:The total effective rate was 72.7%; the compared group:The total effective rate was 32.3%; Two groups were different significantly (P<0.05). The traditional Chinese medicine group showed higher efficiency than the compared group.(2) Comparison on syndrome therapeutic effect between the two groups:the traditional Chinese medicine group:The total effective rate was 81.8%; the compared group:The total effective rate was 45.2%; Two groups were different significantly (P<0.05). The traditional Chinese medicine group showed higher efficiency than the compared group.(3)Comparison on the thyroid volumes and nodule maximum diameters between the two groups:In each group, the thyroid volumes and nodule maximum diameters were both lower than before, and they were significantly different (P<0.05). Between the two groups, the nodule's maximum diameter of the traditional Chinese medicine reduced more than it of the compared group (P<0.05). (4) The relation between the nodule size and the therapeutic effect in the traditional Chinese medicine group:The total effective rate of patients whose nodule maximum diameter was less than 2.5cm was higher than those larger than 2.5cm (P<0.05).(5) Changes on thyroid function of the two groups:The FT3 and FT4 of both two groups were no significant different before and after the treatment, and so did the TSH of the traditional Chinese medicine group (P>0.05). The TSH of the compared group was significantly lower after the treatment (P<0.05).(6)Changes on antithyroid autoantibody of the two groups:1 of the 5 TGAb positive patients in the traditional Chinese medicine group turned negative after the treatment, and 4 of them improved significantly (>30%). All the 3 TGAb positive patients in the compared group showed no significant improvement (<30%).2 of the 5 TPOAb positive patients in the traditional Chinese medicine group turned negative after the treatment, and 2 of them improved significantly (>30%), and 1 of them improved less than 30%.1 TPOAb positive patient in the compared group showed no significant improvement (<30%).Conclusion:(1) Compared with the euthyrox group, the traditional Chinese medicine group enjoys a higher total effective rate; a better syndrome improvement and a larger reduce in the nodule size. All these show that treat NG patients with the "ShuGanSanJie" prescription yields a better therapeutic effect than that with the euthyrox. (2) The therapeutic effect of "ShuGanSanJie" prescription is closely related with the nodule maximum diameter. It has a good curative effect on nodule which the maximum diameter is no more than 2.5cm and it works relatively worse if it is larger than that. (3) "ShuGanSanJie" prescription shows no influence on the thyroid hormone secretion, nor any toxic or side effect.