Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Outcomes in COPD Patients

A Multi-center, Prospective, Cohort Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine on COPD Patients

The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of the treatments in two cohort for COPD patients: one, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) cohort, which have been evaluated and have certain effect; the other, conventional medicine treatments cohort, based on 2015 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).

COPD, with high prevalence, morbidity, mortality and economic burdens, affects millions worldwide. Although many therapies exist and are being developed to relieve symptoms and reduce mortality in COPD, most have only been studied in placebo-controlled efficacy studies in highly selected populations. There are few clinical trials to compare therapeutic alternatives in real world. Furthermore, some randomized controlled trials on comprehensive TCM interventions, especially based on the TCM patterns, have been the certain evidence for showing definite effect for COPD patients. In addition, studies in real world populations of COPD that received different therapies that do have efficacy evidence was found wide variations in care delivery. In short, there is a need for cohort study in COPD.

This is a multi-center, prospective, cohort study to evaluate the effectiveness of TCM on COPD patients. The cohort study will enroll approximately 2540 patients that in two cohort, one, TCM cohort, which have been evaluated and have certain effect; the other, conventional medicine treatments cohort, based on 2015 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).Subjects in two cohort will be followed-up 2 years.The primary outcome measure is the frequency of exacerbations. The secondary efficacy measures include mortality rate and all-cause mortality, FEV1, dyspnea (MMRC), exercise capacity( 6MWD), quality of life ( CAT, SF-36 and COPD-PRO), and effectiveness satisfaction with treatment(ESQ-COPD).

Inclusion Criteria:

• A confirmed diagnosis of COPD.
• Medically stable.
• Age between 40 and 80 years.
• Syndrome differentiation belongs to syndrome of deficiency of deficiency of lung qi, deficiency of pulmonic-splenic qi, syndrome of insufficiency of qi of the lung and kidney, syndrome of insufficiency of qi and yin of the lung and kidney.
• With the informed consent signed.
• Capable of complying with the dosing regimen and visit schedules.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant or breast-feeding women.
• Any psychiatric condition rendering the patient unable to understand the nature, scope and possible consequences of the study.
• Malignancy for which patient has undergone resection, radiation therapy or chemotherapy within the last 5 years.
• Current respiratory disorders other than COPD (e.g., bronchiectasis, bronchial asthma, tuberculosis, lung fibrosis, pulmonary thromboembolic, diffuse panbronchiolitis).
• Complicated with heart failure (NYHA Class III or IV),or myocardial infarction within six months ,or unstable hemodynamics.
• Complicated with serious hepatic and renal diseases (liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension, bleeding of varicose veins, dialysis, or renal transplantation).
• Complicated with congenital or acquired immune deficiency.
• Participating in other trials or allergic to the used medicine.