Frontiers in Medicine (Sep 2024)

Therapeutic effects of Kangxian Yanshen formula on patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3–4: a retrospective cohort study

  • Aojiao Chu,
  • Wenqian Wei,
  • Ni Liu,
  • Fan Zhang,
  • Xianwen Zhang,
  • Xueling Li,
  • Rong Zheng,
  • Zhifang Ma,
  • Yi Li,
  • Shu Rong,
  • Yifei Zhong

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1450561
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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BackgroundThis study retrospectively evaluated the actual efficacy of Kangxian Yanshen Formula Chinese medicine on renal function-related indicators in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3–4 patients.MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, we collected 212 adult CKD patients with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 15–60 ml/min/1.73 m2. All participants received usual care (i.e., Western medications), and participants in the exposure group (n = 109) were additionally prescribed Kangxian Yanshen Formula Chinese medicine. The primary outcome was an adjusted hazard risk and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of a 30% decrease in eGFR at month 36 from baseline.ResultsIn terms of eGFR, among participants treated with additional Kangxian Yanshen Formula, after adjusting for covariates, there was a 57.1% reduction in the risk of a 30% decline from baseline in eGFR among participants in the Kangxian Yanshen Formula group compared with the Western medicine group (adjusted hazard risk: 0.429; 95% CI 0.269–0.682). In addition, participants in the Kangxian Yanshen Formula group had a significantly higher change in eGFR from baseline to month 12 than those in the western medicine group (3.40 ± 11.62 versus −3.87 ± 8.39; between-group difference Δ5.61 [± 2.26 standard deviation] mL/min/1.73 m2; P = 0.014). Participants in both groups showed a decreasing trend in eGFR at months 24 and 36.ConclusionIn patients with stage 3–4 CKD, Kangxian Yanshen Formula Chinese medicine therapy may help delay eGFR decline, but high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to validate the results further.

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