Qiling Yiqi Tablets Plus Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV Immune Non-responders With Lung-Spleen Qi Deficiency

A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of Qiling Yiqi Tablets Combined With Antiretroviral Therapy for Immune Reconstitution Failure in People With HIV and Lung-Spleen Qi Deficiency Syndrome

This pragmatic randomized controlled trial evaluates whether Qiling Yiqi Tablets combined with antiretroviral therapy (ART) improves immune reconstitution in people with HIV who meet criteria for immune reconstitution failure and lung-spleen qi deficiency syndrome. Eligible participants are adults aged 18 to 60 years with HIV-1 infection, long-term viral suppression on ART, and persistently low CD4+ T-cell counts. A total of 240 participants will be randomized 1:1 to receive Qiling Yiqi Tablets plus ART or ART alone. Treatment lasts 48 weeks, followed by 48 weeks of follow-up. The primary outcomes are absolute CD4+ T-cell count and immune reconstitution response rate. Secondary outcomes include immune homeostasis markers, T-cell activation and Treg proportion, thymic output and inflammation-related markers, HIV RNA viral load, quality of life, clinical symptom scores, all-cause mortality, and safety.

This is a prospective, multicenter, pragmatic, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Participants will be recruited from three HIV treatment-designated hospitals in high-prevalence regions in China. Eligible participants will be randomized by center-stratified block randomization at a 1:1 ratio to the experimental arm or control arm. Randomization codes will be generated using SAS by personnel independent from the clinical trial. The ART regimen is not restricted and follows applicable domestic and international ART guidelines. Clinical data will be collected using a unified CRF/eCRF and managed through an EDC platform with de-identified study codes and access controls.

Inclusion Criteria:Aged 18 to 60 years, male or female. CD4+ T lymphocyte count <350 cells/uL. Meets diagnostic criteria for HIV-1 infection according to the Chinese Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of HIV/AIDS (2024 edition).

Meets diagnostic criteria for incomplete immune reconstitution: ART for more than 4 years; peripheral blood viral load below the lower limit of detection (<50 copies/mL) for more than 3 years; persistent CD4+ T-cell count <350 cells/uL; and exclusion of other causes of long-term low CD4+ T-cell count.

Meets the Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnostic criteria for lung-spleen qi deficiency syndrome, supported by the designated four-diagnostic instrument (model SZY-ZM-1) where applicable.

Voluntarily agrees to participate and signs informed consent. -

Exclusion Criteria:Uncontrolled acute or chronic physical or mental illness. Poor adherence to ART. WBC <2 x 10^9/L, neutrophils <1.0 x 10^9/L, hemoglobin <90 g/L, platelets <75 x 10^9/L, or abnormal hepatic/renal function. Hepatic abnormality is defined as AST, ALT, or total bilirubin >=2 times the upper limit of normal; renal abnormality is defined as creatinine clearance below the normal value.

Other serious comorbid disease, such as tumor, cirrhosis, or cardiovascular/cerebrovascular disease.

Pregnancy, lactation, or recent plan for pregnancy/childbearing. Use of immunosuppressants or immunomodulators within 6 months before screening. Any other condition judged by the investigator to make the participant unsuitable for the study.

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