Comprehensive therapy of traditional Chinese medicine for erectile dysfunction with damp-heat stasis:A clinical observation of 103 cases
Objective:To assess the clinical effect and safety of comprehensive therapy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in the treatment of erectile dysfunction(ED)with damp-heat stasis.Methods:We selected 108 cases of ED with damp-heat stasis meeting the inclusion criteria and treated with tadalafil(the control group,n=54)or tadalafil+comprehensive TCM therapy(the trial group,n=54)in the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine in the same period.After 8 weeks of treatment,we recorded the patients'scores on IIEF-5,TCM syndrome,erectile quality(EQS),9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire(PHQ-9)and Generalized Anxiety Scale 7(GAD-7).At 16 weeks of our study,we collected the efficacy parameters,safety indicators and adverse reactions by telephone follow-up and compared the data obtained between the two groups of patients.Results:Totally,103 of the patients completed the study,51 in the control and 52 in the trial group.Compared with the baseline,the IIEF-5 and EQS scores were both markedly increased after 8 weeks of treatment in the trial group(12.35±3.00 vs 18.36±2.82,P<0.05;39.5[30.25-43]vs 67.5[54.5-76.75],P<0.05)and the control(11.96±2.79 vs 15.88±3.86,P<0.05;38.0[29-42]vs 56[49-64],P<0.05),even more significantly in the former than in the latter(P<0.05);the TCM syndrome and GAD-7 scores were remarkably decreased in the trial(9.5[8-12]vs 4.0[2.25-5],P<0.05;5[2.25-6.75]vs 2.5[1-4.75],P<0.05)and the control group(10.0[8-12]vs 5.0[3-6],P<0.05;5.0[3-6]vs 4.0[2-5],P<0.05),even more signif-icantly in the former than in the latter(P<0.05),so were the PHQ-9 scores(P<0.05),but with no statistically significant differ-ence between the two groups(P>0.05).The IIEF-5 scores of the two groups remained significantly higher than the baseline during the follow-up(P<0.05),even higher in the trial than in the control group(17.04±2.60 vs 14.16±3.34,P<0.05).No obvious abnormal safety indicators or adverse events were observed during the study.Conclusion:Comprehensive TCM therapy combined with tadalafil is superior to tadalafil alone in the treatment of ED with damp-heat stasis,and has a better long-term efficacy and a higher safety.
erectile dysfunctiondamp-heat stasiscomprehensive therapy of traditional Chinese medicineclinical observation