The Efficacy and Safety of Shashen-Maidong Decoction Combined with Western Medicine in the Treatment of Omicron Infected Individuals Over 85 Years Old: A Retrospective Study

Xiao-Xi Lin; Yu-Qi Yin; Wen-Zheng Zhang; Jia-Huan Huang; Wei-Shang Hu

doi:10.2147/IDR.S433815

The Efficacy and Safety of Shashen-Maidong Decoction Combined with Western Medicine in the Treatment of Omicron Infected Individuals Over 85 Years Old: A Retrospective Study

Infect Drug Resist. 2023 Nov 28:16:7339-7348. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S433815. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Xiao-Xi Lin^#¹, Yu-Qi Yin^#², Wen-Zheng Zhang³, Jia-Huan Huang⁴, Wei-Shang Hu¹

Affiliations

¹ Geriatric Medicine Center, Department No. 2 of Acupuncture & Massage, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310024, People's Republic of China.
² The Third Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People's Republic of China.
³ Emergency and Critical Care Center, Department of Intensive Care Unit, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310024, People's Republic of China.
⁴ Geriatric Medicine Center, Department of General Practice, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310024, People's Republic of China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: During the Omicron variant outbreak of COVID-19 (2022-2023), Chinese healthcare institutions combined traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with Western medical practices to treat COVID-19 patients, especially the elderly. The efficacy and safety of this approach, especially for individuals aged over 85, need further investigation.

Methods: In this retrospective study, a cohort of 62 patients aged over 85 years, diagnosed with COVID-19 infection, was examined. Among them, 34 patients were administered Shashen-Maidong decoction in conjunction with Western medicine (SMD+WM group), while the remaining 28 patients received only Western medicine (WM group). Comparative analysis was conducted between the two groups, encompassing parameters such as the duration for the nucleic acid test to turn negative, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, mortality rate, utilization of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen (HFNC), occurrence of endo-tracheal intubation, frequency of recurrent respiratory infections within three months, and various laboratory indicators.

Results: There were no significant differences observed between the two groups in terms of the duration for the nucleic acid test to turn negative, the length of ICU stay, mortality rate, utilization of HFNC, performance of endo-tracheal intubation, or the frequency of recurrent respiratory infections within three months (P > 0.05). However, in comparison to the WM group, the SMD+WM group exhibited notably lower growth rates in white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil (NEUT) values. Additionally, the SMD+WM group demonstrated superior improvement in cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) values.

Conclusion: In contrast to the administration of Western medicine alone, the combined use of Shashen-Maidong decoction with Western medicine significantly suppresses the increase in WBC count, particularly in NEUT levels, in elderly patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Moreover, this combined treatment exhibits a protective effect on cardiac function and demonstrates a relatively safe profile.

Keywords: COVID-19; Shashen-Maidong decoction; traditional Chinese medicine.

Grants and funding

No external funding received to conduct this study.