ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the curative effect of traditional Chinese medicine fumigation combined with conventional therapy for the diabetic foot. Methods A total of 90 patients with type 2 diabetes who were treated in the hospital from March 2015 to August 2017 were enrolled in this study. On the basis of conventional treatment, the treatment group received the traditional Chinese medicine fumigation, while the control group received warm water fumigation. The total limb popliteal artery, femoral artery, posterior tibial artery and dorsalis pedis artery and a score of symptoms and signs were compared between two groups after 4 weeks. Results The total effective rate of the treatment group was 73.3% (33/45), while the control group was 53.3% (24/45), and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=3.876, P=0.049). After treatment, total limb femoral artery(58.38 ± 12.53 cm/s vs.51.94 ± 11.62 cm/s,t=2.528),popliteal artery(43.87 ± 9.46 cm/s vs.39.87 ± 8.28 cm/s,t=2.134),posterior tibial artery(35.72 ± 8.29 cm/s vs.30.89 ± 8.51 cm/s,t=2.725),dorsalis pedis artery (26.82 ± 8.10 cm/s vs.22.87 ± 7.39 cm/s,t=2.413)of the treatment group were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).The main symptom score(2.0 ± 1.5 vs.4.1 ± 2.1,t=5.419),sub syndrome score(3.1 ± 1.8 vs.5.1 ± 2.3,t=4.692),tongue and pulse condition score(1.8 ± 0.8 vs.2.4 ± 0.6,t=4.277)of the treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.01). Conclusions The traditional Chinese medicine fumigation combined with conventional therapy could improve the lower extremity blood flow status in diabetic foot patients and clinical symptoms.