Clinical assessment of complementary treatment with Qishen Yiqi dripping pills on ischemic heart failure: study protocol for a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial (CACT-IHF).

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is associated with decreased quality of life, high re-admission rate and poor prognosis. In particular, ischemic heart failure (IHF) has a worse prognosis than nonischemic HF. The use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) alongside Western medicine to treat HF has developed into an integrative treatment model in China. There have been small clinical trials and experimental studies to demonstrate the efficacy of TCM for treating HF; however, there is still a lack of high-quality trials. Qishen Yiqi dripping pills (QSYQ), a TCM drug, have been commonly used alongside standardized Western medicine to treat IHF. This paper describes the protocol for the clinical assessment of QSYQ in IHF patients. METHOD: A randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial will assess the efficacy and safety of QSYQ in the treatment of IHF. The trial is to enroll 640 IHF patients from 32 hospitals in China. Besides their standardized Western medicine, patients will be randomized to receive treatment of either QSYQ or placebo for 6 months and follow-up monitoring for at least a further 6 months. The primary outcome is increased exercise capacity of patients, which will be measured using the 6-minute walking test (6MWT). The secondary outcomes include composite endpoints: all-cause mortality, frequency of hospitalization or emergency due to cardiovascular events, brain natriuretic peptide levels, left ventricular ejection fraction, and cardiothoracic ratio will be documented, as well as scores on the New York Heart Association classification and Minnesota quality of life index, and information obtained from the four TCM diagnostic methods. Blood lipid tests will also be administered. DISCUSSION: The integrative treatment model of TCM alongside Western medicine has developed into a treatment model in China. The rigorous design of the trial will assure an objective and scientific assessment of the efficacy and safety of QSYQ in the treatment of IHF.

Clinical epidemiology survey of the traditional Chinese medicine etiology and syndrome differentiation of coronary artery disease: study protocol of a multicenter trial.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease (CAD), a common disease with high incidence and mortality rate, has seriously threatened the health and life of the public. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has an important role in the prevention and treatment of this disease. Through clinical epidemiological survey, a deeper understanding of TCM etiology and syndrome characteristics in CAD would further improve clinical efficacy in the treatment of this disease. METHODS/DESIGN: The preliminary clinical questionnaire for TCM etiology and syndrome differentiation in CAD was designed after literature reviews and analysis. Through a series of clinical pre-surveys, expert consultation and demonstration, the formal TCM clinical epidemiology questionnaire on the etiology and syndrome differentiation in CAD was finalized, after which, the study protocol, inclusive and exclusive criteria and related quality control measures were prepared. The multiregional clinical epidemiological survey with more than 5000 participants with CAD will be carried out in 41 TCM hospitals of China for investigating the TCM etiology and syndrome differentiation of CAD. DISCUSSION: Multiregion large sample size clinical epidemiology survey on TCM etiology and syndrome differentiation in CAD will provide further evidence in preventing CAD and improving the standardization process of syndrome research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study protocol was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on November 27, 2011 in both Chinese and English editions and the registration number is ChiCTR-ECS-11001728.