Clinical Efficacy of Self-Formulated Wind-Dispelling Decoction Combined with Cinnarizine in Treating Chronic Urticaria and Its Effects on Inflammatory Cytokine Levels
ZHANG Weiguang, CUI Jing, ZHANG Dongxu, et al
Chengde Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hebei Chengde 067000, China
Abstract:Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of a self-formulated wind-dispelling decoction combined with cinnarizine in treating chronic urticaria and its effect on inflammatory factor levels. Methods: A total of 120 patients with chronic urticaria admitted to our hospital from January 2020 to October 2024 were randomly assigned to the monotherapy group (60 patients, cetirizine hydrochloride tablets) and the combination group (60 patients, wind-dispelling decoction + cinnarizine tablets). Pre- and post-treatment comparisons were made between groups for Traditional Chinese Medicine symptom scores, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), overall response rate, recurrence rate, and adverse reactions. Serum levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IgE were measured for comparison. Results: Pre-treatment DLQI scores showed no statistically significant difference between groups (P>0.05); Post-treatment DLQI scores were significantly lower in the combination group than in the monotherapy group (P<0.05). Pre-treatment TCM symptom scores showed no statistically significant difference between groups (P>0.05), but the change in TCM symptom scores from baseline to post-treatment was greater in the combination group than in the monotherapy group (P<0.05). Pre-treatment inflammatory cytokine levels showed no significant difference between groups (P>0.05). The difference in IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α, and IgE levels before and after treatment was greater in the combination group than in the monotherapy group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). The overall response rate in the combination group (93.3%) was higher than that in the monotherapy group (76.7%), and the recurrence rate was lower in the combination group (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: The combination of wind-dispelling decoction and cinnarizine effectively alleviates symptoms and reduces recurrence rates in chronic urticaria, potentially through modulation of inflammatory factors.