Efficacy of Wushaoshe Qufeng Tablet and leflunomide combination therapy in the management of rheumatoid arthritis, and its influence on incidence of adverse drug reactions

Abstract

Purpose: To study the effectiveness and safety of combined use of Wushaoshe Qufeng tablets andleflunomide in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients.Methods: A retrospective trial was conducted among 120 patients with rheumatoid arthritis hospitalized in Heyuan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Heyuan, from February 2020 to February 2021. The patients were equally divided into study group (n = 60) and control group (n = 60). Both groups received conventional treatment. in addition, the control group received leflunomide, whereas the experimental group received Wushaoshe Qufeng tablets. The two groups were compared with respect to laboratory indicators, TCM syndrome scores, and adverse events.Results: The post-treatment TCM syndrome scores was lower in the experimental group versus control group (p < 0.001). After treatment, the study group was superior to the control group in terms of their biochemical indicators (p < 0.001). Safety profile was better in the study group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Treatment effectiveness was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Combined treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients with Wushaoshe Qufeng tablets and leflunomide shows improved biochemical indicators, mitigates clinical symptoms, and enhances treatment effectiveness. Moreover, the combination therapy is safe, and therefore, should be considered for the management of rheumatoid arthritis patients.