ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of TCM foot bath in adjuvant treatment for early diabetic lower-extremity peripheral arterial disease (LEPAD). Methods Totally 90 cases with early diabetic LEPAD were divided into treatment group and control group by random number table method, with 45 cases in each group. Control group was given routine treatment, including health education, diet control, proper exercise, control of blood sugar, blood pressure and blood lipids, nutritional nerves, dilation of blood vessels. On the basis of control group, the treatment group was given TCM foot bath, soaking the lower limbs for 30 minutes each time, once a day, for 12 weeks. The clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated. The TCM syndrome score, maximum painless walking distance, temperature of the toe skin, diameter of the lower extremity arterial blood vessels, lower extremity arterial blood flow, ankle brachial index (ABI), blood pressure (BP), FBG, HbA1c, serum adiponectin, IL-6 and TNF-α were detected. The blood routine, liver and kidney function were detected and adverse reactions were recorded. Results The total effective rate was 82.22% (37/45) in the treatment group and 68.89% (31/45) in the control group. The treatment group was significantly better than the control group (Z=-2.099, P=0.036). Compared with before treatment, the levels of TCM syndromes, BP, FBG, HbA1c, serum IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly lower in both groups after treatment (P<0.05); serum adiponectin level increased after treatment (P<0.05); the maximum painless walking distance, the temperature of the toe skin, the diameter of the lower extremity arterial blood vessels, the lower extremity arterial blood flow and ABI were significantly improved. Compared with the control group, the scores of TCM syndromes in the treatment group were significantly lower (P<0.05); the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05); the maximum painless walking distance, the temperature of the toe skin, the diameter of the lower extremity arterial vessels, the lower extremity arterial blood flow and ABI, serum adiponectin level in the treatment group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion TCM foot bath in adjuvant treatment for early diabetic LEPAD is with obvious efficacy, and the mechanism may be related to improving the level of serum inflammatory cytokines to inhibit the inflammatory injury of blood vessels.