Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 27, 2025
Author Spotlight: Evaluating the Therapeutic Efficacy of Moving Cupping Along Meridians for Acute Exacerbation of COPD
Published on: September 27, 2024
Treatment of COVID-19 in Hemodialysis Patients Using Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Single-Center, Retrospective
Wei Huang1, Bo Jiang1, Jinli Luo2
1Wuhan Third Hospital, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Insights
This study found that combining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with Western medicine improved recovery for hemodialysis patients with COVID-19. The integrated approach reduced symptoms and mortality rates, offering a promising treatment strategy.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Nephrology
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses significant risks to patients undergoing hemodialysis.
- Exploring novel therapeutic strategies is crucial for managing COVID-19 in this vulnerable population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of combining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with Western medicine for COVID-19 patients on hemodialysis.
- To compare clinical outcomes, symptom scores, and laboratory markers between combined therapy and Western medicine alone.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 53 hemodialysis patients with COVID-19, divided into a control group (Western medicine) and a treatment group (TCM + Western medicine).
- Data collected included clinical symptoms, TCM symptom scores, laboratory markers (albumin, D-dimer, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase), and chest CT results.
- Outcomes were assessed before and after treatment, with statistical comparisons between the groups.
Main Results:
- The combined TCM and Western medicine group showed significantly lower anorexia scores post-treatment compared to the control group (p < 0.05).
- Patients receiving combined therapy exhibited improved albumin levels and reduced D-dimer, C-reactive protein, and lactate dehydrogenase levels.
- The combined treatment group demonstrated a higher cure rate and a lower mortality rate (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Combining TCM with Western medicine offers a beneficial approach for hemodialysis patients with COVID-19, aiding symptom relief and recovery.
- This integrated strategy appears to improve key clinical and laboratory indicators, including reducing mortality.
- Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted to validate these findings.
Abstract:
Background: To explore the effect of combining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine in hemodialysis patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: This study was conducted from 27 January 2020 to 17 March 2020 in Wuhan Third Hospital Guanggu Branch, Wuhan, China. Fifty-three patients were included and divided into a control group (CG), which received Western medicine and a combined treatment group, which received TCM and Western medicine (TG). Clinical and laboratory data, TCM symptom scores, and chest computed tomography results were extracted and compared between the two groups. Results: The TG included 21 (67.7%) men and 10 (32.3%) women with a mean age of 61.02 (standard deviation [SD] 15.07, range 26-89) years. The mean dialysis duration in the TG was 49 (SD 31) months. Of all patients in the TG, 27 (87.1%) had fatigue, 18 (58.1%) had dry cough, 16 (51.6%) had anorexia, 11 (35.5%) had dyspnea, and 11 (35.5%) had fever. The CG included 14 (63.6%) men and 8 (36.4%) women with a mean age of 61.45 (SD 13.78, range 36-84) years. The mean dialysis duration in the CG was 63 (SD 46) months. Of all patients in the CG, 21 (95.5%) had fatigue, 12 (54.5%) had dry cough, 17 (77.3%) had anorexia, 12 (54.5%) had dyspnea, and 7 (31.8%) had fever. After treatment, the TCM symptom scores of the two groups decreased; the anorexia scores were lower in the TG than in the CG (p < 0.05). After treatment, albumin increased and D-dimer, C-reactive protein, and lactate dehydrogenase levels decreased in the TG. The d-dimer levels were lower and the albumin level was higher in the TG than in the CG after treatment (p < 0.05). The cure rate was higher, and the mortality rate was lower in the TG than in the CG (p < 0.05). Conclusion: A combination of TCM and Western medicine in hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 could relieve symptoms and help recovery. Further evidence from larger randomized controlled trials is needed to confirm our results.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Dialysis
Acute kidney injury develops suddenly and can be caused by pre-renal causes (e.g., hypovolemia, shock), intrinsic renal causes (e.g., acute tubular necrosis), or post-renal causes (e.g., urinary obstruction). In contrast, chronic renal failure progresses gradually over time and is often...
01:24Hemodialysis II: Procedure and Complications
01:25Hemodialysis I: Introduction
01:25Hemodialysis III: Nursing Management