To analyse the cartilage erosion related blood biochemical and immune factors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to explore the special influences of Chinese medicine (CM) and Western medicine (WM) on these factors.
Three hundred and ninety-seven patients, with confirmed diagnosis of active RA, were randomly assigned to the WM group (194 patients) and the CM group (203 patients). The WM applied covered non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents and slow acting medicine; and the CM given included basic remedy and syndrome differentiating medication. Related blood biochemical and immunological indexes were determined before and after treatment to screen out the cartilage erosion related factors and to compare the influence of CM and WM on them.
Patients' peripheral red blood cell (RBC) and platelet (PLT) count were changed closely along with their degree of cartilage erosion. RBC count increased in the CM group and PLT count lowered in the WM group after treatment, all showed statistical significance; comparison of the two indexes between the two groups showed that statistical difference presented in RBC but not in PLT count.
Both WM and CM can ameliorate the cartilage erosive factor in RA, but they are acting in different ways.