Therapeutic effect of Weidong Kang on diabetic gastroparesis

BACKGROUND： Modern medicine has not completely clarified the pathogenesis of diabetic gastroparesis, and Weidong Kang may have certain efficacy. OBJECTIVE： To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Weidong Kang on diabetic gastroparesis, and compare with the efficacy of Motilium. DESIGN ： A case-controlled observation SETTINGS ： Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Normal University; Chongqing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine. PARTICIPANTS ： Sixty outpatients and inpatients with diabetic gastroparesis were selected from the Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Normal University and Chongqing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine from April 2001 to December 2005. They were randomly divided into two groups： ①treatment group （n =30）： 20 males and 10 females; 31-58 years of age, the disease courses ranged from 0.5 to 26 years; ②control group （n =30）： 18 males and 12 females; 30-69 years of age, the disease courses ranged from 0.5 to 20 years. Informed contents were obtained from all the subjects. METHODS ： In the treatment group, the patients were treated with oral Weidong Kang decoction, three times a day, 30 mL per time; Weidong Kang decoction consisted of official magnolia bark, immature bitter orange, betel nut, rhubarb, Chinese thorowax root, largehead atractylodes rhizome, dendrobium stem, 100 mL/bottle, containing 100 mg crude drug, provided by the Department of Pharmacy, Chongqing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine）. In the control group, the patients with treated with Motilium, three times a day, 10 mg per time. All the patients were treated for four weeks as a course. The scores of dyspeptic symptoms and the time of gastric semi-emptying of liquid （T/2） were observed, the efficacy, the score of quality of life （QOL） and safety were evaluated before and after treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES ： Scores of dyspeptic symptoms; Time of gastric semi-emptying of liquid （T/2）; Evaluation of efficacy; score of QOL; Safety. RESULTS： All the 60 patients with diabetic gastroparesis were involved in the analysis of results. ① Amelioration of dyspeptic symptoms： After treatment, the scores of dyspeptic symptoms and total score were all obviously lower than those before treatment in both groups （P 〈 0.01）, the scores of epigastnc satiety, nausea and vomiting, decreased appetite and epigastric pain in the treatment group were all obviously lower than those in the control group （P 〈 0.05-0.01 ）. ②Clinical efficacy： The total effective rate in the treatment group was obviously higher than that in the control group [90.0% （27/30）; 73.3% （22/30）, P 〈 0.05]. ③Time of gastric semi-emptying of liquid （T/2）： In the treatment group, it was obviously ameliorated after treatment as compared with that before treatment （P 〈 0.01 ）. ④Amelioration of QOL by symptom frequency-36 health survey （SF-36）： In the treatment group, the scores of general health, somatic pain, vigor and mental health after treatment were obviously higher than those before treatment （P 〈 0.05）. In the control group, the scores of general health and mental health after treatment were obviously higher than those before treatment （P 〈 0.05）. ⑤Evaluation of safety： In the treatment, there were no obvious differences in the blood and urine routine examinations, liver function and kidney function before and after treatment （P 〉 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Weldong Kang is an effective and safe drug for alleviating dyspeptic symptoms in patients with diabetic gastroparesis.