Yunpiqiangshen gel (运脾强肾浸膏) improves quality of life in dialysis patients

doi:10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2025.01.011

Abstract

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Yunpiqiangshen gel (运脾强肾浸膏) which composed of eleven herbs on quality of life (QOL) improvement.

METHODS: We enrolled 180 patients lasted from January 2020 to December 2021. Seventy-eight patients received standards of care (control group) and 76 patients received Yunpiqiangshen gel [Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM) group] for 6 months in statistical analysis. The primary outcome assessed using Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form Questionnaire version 1.3 (KDQOL-SF^TM 1.3), including Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Kidney Disease Targeted Areas (KDTA) scores. The second outcomes included the TCM syndrome score, Fatigue Assessment Instrument (FAI) score, Modified Quantitative Subjective Global Assessment (MQSGA) score, anthropometric indicators, and blood chemical testing. Adverse events, including decompensated gastrointestinal symptoms, were evaluated.

RESULTS: The results showed that the mean change of SF-36 (75 ± 13 vs 64 ± 16, F = 6.070, P = 0.015) and KDTA (76 ± 7 vs 70 ± 9, F = 4.118, P = 0.044) scores in the TCM group had an improvement (increase) from baseline, as compared with the control group. Yunpiqiangshen gel also resulted in a significant improvement in almost dimensions of QOL. At the end of follow-up, the imputed percentage of patients in the response rate of TCM syndrome was greater in the TCM group than in the control group (76.32% vs 20.51%, χ ² = 48.02, P = 0.000). The fatigue, soreness of waist, anorexia, abdominal distension, loose stool, and constipation were alleviated after Yunpiqiangshen gel therapy. The FAI (98.58 ± 25.08 vs 131.21 ± 31.85, F = 8.745, P = 0.004) and MQSGA (10.13 ± 2.84 vs 12.83 ± 3.85, F = 11.396, P = 0.001) scores in the TCM group had an improvement (reduce) from baseline compared with the control group. A higher level of albumin of patients in the TCM group compared with the control group. Diarrhea, vomit, and loose stool were more common in the TCM group, but generally mild in severity.

CONCLUSION: Compared with the standards of care, added Yunpiqiangshen gel was a safe and effective therapy for improving QOL in dialysis patients.

Key words: kidney failure, chronic, dialysis, quality of life, renal rehabilitation, Yunpiqiangshen gel, supporting information

YU Manshu, JIANG Chunchun, YAO Min, HUA Jianwu, JIANG Yan, HUANG Min, LIU Jianjing, ZHOU Yan, WANG Yuan, SHENG Meixiao. Yunpiqiangshen gel (运脾强肾浸膏) improves quality of life in dialysis patients[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2025, 45(1): 123-131.

Figures/Tables 9

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Baseline demographics		Control (n = 78)	TCM (n = 76)
Age (years)		54.18±12.55	56.38±13.55
Male [n (%)]		45 (57.7)	48 (63.2)
Duration of dialysis (months)		53.88±50.00	47.54±52.20
Comorbidities [n (%)]	Hypertension	70 (89.74)	71 (93.42)
	Diabetes	18 (23.08)	15 (19.74)
	Coronary heart disease	7 (8.97)	5 (6.58)
	Cerebral infarction	10 (12.82)	11 (14.47)
	Anemia	28 (35.90)	32 (42.11)
	Hyperparathyroidism	16 (20.51)	12 (15.79)
Blood chemical testing	Hemoglobin (g/dL)	107.35±16.29	104.76±17.51
	Prealbumin (g/L)	237.70±105.20	247.31±103.24
	Albumin (g/L)	40.60±4.85	39.31±5.66
	Triglyceride (mmol/L)	2.05±1.36	1.75±1.04
	Cholesterol (mmol/L)	4.33±1.07	4.26±1.03
	LDL-C (mmol/L)	2.55±0.81	2.42±0.91
	Transferrin (ng/mL)	169.53±154.51	197.7±276.54
	Urea (mmol/L)	23.38±6.95	21.27±4.89
	Creatinine (μmol/L)	928.9±278.07	843.85±255.16
	CO₂CP (mmol/L)	23.05±4.48	23.02±4.12
	Calcium (mmol/L)	2.48±0.29	2.43±0.27
	Phosphate (mmol/L)	1.71±0.52	1.65±0.44
	iPTH (pg/mL)	412.25±357.79	350.07±289.75
KDQOL-SF? 1.3	SF-36	70.86±14.29	69.17±15.04
	Physical function	81.15±13.46	81.32±12.92
	Social function	70.67±19.52	67.93±22.10
	KDTA	71.75±9.73	70.61±9.40
	Symptom problem list	87.14±9.36	84.40±11.13
	Effects of kidney disease	71.59±15.37	71.83±16.34
	Burden of kidney disease	43.59±21.49	46.55±20.95
	Quality of social interaction	82.99±14.27	83.11±12.49
	Sleep	67.63±19.08	64.31±19.42
FAI		115.42±32.95	122.87±30.62
MQSGA		11.37±3.31	11.67±3.44
Anthropometry	TSF	12.54±2.95	11.76±2.79
	MAC	26.36±3.45	25.21±3.19
	MAMC	22.42±3.18	21.50±2.79
	Grip	26.03±8.43	26.49±8.95

Baseline demographics		Control (n = 78)	TCM (n = 76)
Age (years)		54.18±12.55	56.38±13.55
Male [n (%)]		45 (57.7)	48 (63.2)
Duration of dialysis (months)		53.88±50.00	47.54±52.20
Comorbidities [n (%)]	Hypertension	70 (89.74)	71 (93.42)
	Diabetes	18 (23.08)	15 (19.74)
	Coronary heart disease	7 (8.97)	5 (6.58)
	Cerebral infarction	10 (12.82)	11 (14.47)
	Anemia	28 (35.90)	32 (42.11)
	Hyperparathyroidism	16 (20.51)	12 (15.79)
Blood chemical testing	Hemoglobin (g/dL)	107.35±16.29	104.76±17.51
	Prealbumin (g/L)	237.70±105.20	247.31±103.24
	Albumin (g/L)	40.60±4.85	39.31±5.66
	Triglyceride (mmol/L)	2.05±1.36	1.75±1.04
	Cholesterol (mmol/L)	4.33±1.07	4.26±1.03
	LDL-C (mmol/L)	2.55±0.81	2.42±0.91
	Transferrin (ng/mL)	169.53±154.51	197.7±276.54
	Urea (mmol/L)	23.38±6.95	21.27±4.89
	Creatinine (μmol/L)	928.9±278.07	843.85±255.16
	CO₂CP (mmol/L)	23.05±4.48	23.02±4.12
	Calcium (mmol/L)	2.48±0.29	2.43±0.27
	Phosphate (mmol/L)	1.71±0.52	1.65±0.44
	iPTH (pg/mL)	412.25±357.79	350.07±289.75
KDQOL-SF? 1.3	SF-36	70.86±14.29	69.17±15.04
	Physical function	81.15±13.46	81.32±12.92
	Social function	70.67±19.52	67.93±22.10
	KDTA	71.75±9.73	70.61±9.40
	Symptom problem list	87.14±9.36	84.40±11.13
	Effects of kidney disease	71.59±15.37	71.83±16.34
	Burden of kidney disease	43.59±21.49	46.55±20.95
	Quality of social interaction	82.99±14.27	83.11±12.49
	Sleep	67.63±19.08	64.31±19.42
FAI		115.42±32.95	122.87±30.62
MQSGA		11.37±3.31	11.67±3.44
Anthropometry	TSF	12.54±2.95	11.76±2.79
	MAC	26.36±3.45	25.21±3.19
	MAMC	22.42±3.18	21.50±2.79
	Grip	26.03±8.43	26.49±8.95

Item	Group	Baseline	Month 2	Month 4	Month 6
SF-36	Control (n = 78)	71±14	70±15	67±14^a	64±16^a
	TCM (n = 76)	69±15	70±13^a	73±11	75±13^ab
KDTA	Control (n = 78)	72±10	71±9	71±9	70±9
	TCM (n = 76)	71±9	72±8^a	73±7^a	76±7^ab

Item	Group	Baseline	Month 2	Month 4	Month 6
SF-36	Control (n = 78)	71±14	70±15	67±14^a	64±16^a
	TCM (n = 76)	69±15	70±13^a	73±11	75±13^ab
KDTA	Control (n = 78)	72±10	71±9	71±9	70±9
	TCM (n = 76)	71±9	72±8^a	73±7^a	76±7^ab

Item	Group	Baseline	Month 2	Month 4	Month 6
Physical function	Control (n = 78)	81±13	80±15	81±15	80±15
Physical function	TCM (n = 76)	81±13	82±12	83±13^a	84±15
Social function	Control (n = 78)	71±20	72±19	68±19	67±21
Social function	TCM (n = 76)	68±22	70±18	69±18	73±16^ab
Symptom problem list	Control (n = 78)	87±9	86±9	87±9	83±11^a
Symptom problem list	TCM (n = 76)	84±11	87±11^a	89±9^a	90±8^ab
Burden of kidney disease	Control (n = 78)	44±21	45±23	43±21	42±20
Burden of kidney disease	TCM (n = 76)	47±21	47±18	48±18	53±16^a
Effects of kidney disease	Control (n = 78)	72±15	70±15	70±14	69±13
Effects of kidney disease	TCM (n = 76)	72±16	73±13	75±13^a	77±12^a
Quality of social interaction	Control (n = 78)	83±14	82±15	81±13	80±11^a
Quality of social interaction	TCM (n = 76)	83±12	84±11	83±13	84±13^a
Sleep	Control (n = 78)	68±19	66±19	64±18^a	63±19^a
Sleep	TCM (n = 76)	64±19	66±16	71±14^a	76±13^ab

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