To investigate the effectiveness of nutritional supplement Bao Khi Khang as an adjuvant therapy in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared to conventional therapy alone. This was a prospective, randomized, open-label controlled trial in 60 patients presenting with acute exacerbation of COPD. Patients were randomized into two groups, the control and the experimental groups. The control group was treated with the standard therapeutic protocol (Antimicrobial+Corticosteroids+Bronchodilator+Mucolytic drugs). The experimental group was treated with Bao Khi Khang tablets combined with the standard therapeutic protocol. The treatment outcomes, including clinical and paraclinical parameters of exacerbation of COPD, were compared between the experimental group and the control group at day 15 and 30. This study was conducted according to protocol: 01.2014-HTNCKH. The results showed a significant reduction of major COPD exacerbation symptoms in experimental group. The favorable progresses in mMRC scale and COPD Assessment Test score before and after treatment, between experimental group and control group, were statistically different. Symptom control such as cough, copious sputum secretion, and bacterial infection was 90% effective (very good 50.0%, good 40.0%) in experimental group compared to 50% (very good 20%, good 30.0%) in control group. No adverse side effects were observed in experimental group. Bao Khi Khang nutritional supplement could be an effective and safe adjuvant therapy in acute exacerbations of COPD. Further interventional studies are required to confirm these findings.
Keywords: Bao Khi Khang; COPD; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; herbal medicine; nutritional supplement; phytotherapy.