Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Diabetes. Sep 15, 2023; 14(9): 1412-1421
Published online Sep 15, 2023. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v14.i9.1412
Effect of sitagliptin combined with Yiqi yangyin huoxue decoction on clinical efficacy and hemorheology in early diabetic nephropathy
Jun Ling, Yan-Hua Yang
Jun Ling, Yan-Hua Yang, Department of Pharmacy, Changzhou Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Changzhou NO. 7 People’s Hospital, Changzhou 213000, Jiangsu Province, China
Author contributions: This article was written by Ling J, who independently completed the research design and data analysis; and Yang YH provided important guidance for solving difficult and complex problems.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, Changzhou NO. 7 People's Hospital.
Informed consent statement: This is a retrospective study and has applied for exemption from informed consent.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Data sharing statement: Data used in this study were obtained from the corresponding author at yyh0728@163.com.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yan-Hua Yang, MM, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Pharmacy, Changzhou Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Changzhou NO. 7 People’s Hospital, No. 288 Yanling East Road, Economic Development Zone, Changzhou 213000, Jiangsu Province, China. yyh0728@163.com
Received: July 4, 2023
Peer-review started: July 4, 2023
First decision: July 19, 2023
Revised: July 27, 2023
Accepted: August 7, 2023
Article in press: August 7, 2023
Published online: September 15, 2023
Processing time: 71 Days and 2.5 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

Early diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major complication of diabetes, a disease induced by glomerular sclerosis caused by a long-term glucose metabolism disorder. Progressive renal damage, edema, polyuria, and proteinuria are the main clinical symptoms of this disease. The main treatment plan comprising Western medicine for early DN is lipid-lowering and blood pressure regulation; however, the treatment effect is not good. Therefore, we used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to control disease progression from the root cause.

Research motivation

With the development of TCM, we already know that the main pathogenic mechanism of early DN is “Kidney deficiency and blood stasis, Qi and Yin insufficiency.” Therefore, we used western medicine combined with a TCM program for targeted treatment.

Research objectives

This study aimed to use sitagliptin tablets combined with Yiqi yangyin huoxue decoction to treat patients with early diabetic nephropathy, to observe the clinical efficacy and blood rheology in these patients, and to provide a basis for early clinical intervention to delay the progression of this disease.

Research methods

Using a retrospective approach, patients with early DN were randomized into control group (CG) (n = 50) and observation group (OG) (n = 50). CG patients were treated with sitagliptin, and OG patients were treated with sitagliptin plus the Yiqi yangyin huoxue decoction. Both groups were treated for 3 mo.

Research results

The total response rate of the patients in the OG was 94.00%, and the total response rate of those in the CG was 80.00%. After treatment (T1), fasting blood glucose, 2 h postprandial glucose, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, cystatin C, homocysteine, urinary microalbumin, and blood creatinine levels in OG patients were markedly lower than those in the CG; further, red blood cell deposition, plasma viscosity, and hyperviscosity of whole blood in OG patients were markedly lower than those in the CG (all P < 0.05).

Research conclusions

Sitagliptin combined with Yiqi yangyin huoxue decoction has achieved remarkable results in patients with early DN, helping to improve blood glucose, blood lipid, renal function, and hematological indicators.

Research perspectives

In this retrospective study, patients with early DN were randomized into the CG and OG; the CG patients were treated with sitagliptin, and The OG patients were treated with sitagliptin plus Yiqi yangyin huoxue decoction; both groups were treated for 3 mo. Comparing the baseline data and clinical efficacy between the two groups, changes in blood glucose, blood lipid, renal function, and the hematology index were observed before (T0) and after treatment (T1). Thus, we explored the efficacy of sitagliptin in combination with Yiqi yangyin huoxue decoction for early DN treatment and its effect on blood rheology.