The short-term therapeutic effects of TCM for IgA nephropathy in children

To evaluate the short-term therapeutic effects of TCM for IgA nephropathy in children.

Sixty-two children with primary IgA nephropathy diagnosed for the first time by renal biopsy in the authors' hospital were randomly divided into a group of 34 cases treated with both TCM and Western medicine and a group of 28 cases treated with Western medicine for six months. The improvements in urinary protein and red blood cell (RBC) were observed and the scores for TCM symptoms and signs were evaluated after 3 months and 6 months of treatment.

There was no significant difference in the total effective rate between the two groups (chi2 = 4.743, P > 0.05 after treatment for 3 months; and chi2 = 1.953, P > 0.05 after treatment for 6 months). However, the cure plus marked effect rate in the group treated with both TCM and Western medicine was higher than that in the group treated with Western medicine (71.9% vs 45.5%, P < 0.05 after treatment for 3 months). At the end of treatment, significant difference were found in the effective rate (9.3% vs 10.5%, chi2 = 9.653, P < 0.01) and in the total score (0.81+1.18 vs 3.42 + 2.52, t = 4.19, P < 0.001) between the two groups.

Treatment with both TCM and Western medicine can effectively improve the TCM symptoms and signs in child patients with IgA nephropathy, and alleviate hematuria and albuminuria.