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Efficacy of integrating short-course chemotherapy with Chinese herbs to treat multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis in China: a study protocol

Zhang SX, Qiu L, Li C, Zhou W, Tian LM, Zhang HY, Ma ZF, Wu XW et al.

Infectious diseases of poverty, 2021

312 participants · 6 citations

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) caused Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) is one of infectious disease that lead a large number of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Although no reliable evidence has been found, it is considered that combining chemotherapeutic drugs with Chinese herbs can significantly improves the cure rate and the clinical therapeutic effect.

Methods: Multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR-PTB, n = 258) patients with Qi-yin deficiency syndrome will be randomly assigned into a treatment group (n = 172) or control/placebo group (n = 86). The treatment group will receive the chemotherapeutic drugs combined with Chinese herbs granules (1 + 3 granules), while the control group will receive the chemotherapeutic drugs combined with Chinese herbs placebo (1 + 3 placebo granules). In addition, MDR-PTB (n = 312) patients with Yin deficiency lung heat syndrome will be randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 208) or control/placebo (n = 104) group. The treatment group will receive the chemotherapeutic regimen combined with Chinese herbs granules (2 + 4 granules), while the control group will receive the chemotherapeutic drugs and Chinese herbs placebo (2 + 4 placebo granules). The primary outcome is cure rate, the secondary outcomes included time to sputum culture conversion, lesion absorption rate and cavity closure rate. BACTEC™ MGIT™ automated mycobacterial detection system will be used to evaluate the M.tb infection and drug resistance. Chi-square…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 312 participants or records.

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