Jin-Gu-Lian Capsule Did Not Significantly Improve Clinical Value in Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy: A Real-World Study

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Pharmacology
• Traditional Chinese Medicine

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease impacting joints and quality of life.
• Current treatments aim to manage disease activity and improve patient well-being.
• Jin-gu-lian (JGL) is a traditional herbal prescription used in some regions for inflammatory conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical value of Jin-gu-lian (JGL) capsules as an add-on therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
• To assess the impact of JGL on disease activity and quality of life (QoL) in RA patients through a real-world study (RWS).

Main Methods:

• A real-world study (RWS) compared RA patients receiving Western medicine plus JGL (study group) versus Western medicine alone (reference group) over one year.
• Inflammatory markers (IgM-RF, ESR, CRP), QoL (SF-36), and accompanying symptoms were monitored.
• Drug usage, including anti-rheumatic drugs and NSAIDs, was compared between groups.

Main Results:

• The addition of JGL did not significantly alter inflammatory markers, particularly CRP levels.
• No significant differences in quality of life or symptom burden were observed between the JGL and reference groups.
• Patients receiving JGL potentially required more anti-rheumatic drugs, with a higher application ratio of NSAIDs.

Conclusions:

• Adding Jin-gu-lian (JGL) capsules to conventional treatment did not demonstrate significant clinical efficacy in improving rheumatoid arthritis disease activity or quality of life in this RWS.
• The findings suggest that folk herbal prescriptions like JGL require rigorous clinical trials to validate their therapeutic effects before widespread application.