Efficacy of Hepatoprotective Formula, Entecavir, and Continuous Nursing in Patients with Hepatitis B Cirrhosis.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of combining a hepatoprotective formula with entecavir and continuous nursing in improving treatment outcomes for patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis.

Methods: This study included 80 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis admitted to our hospital from March 2021 to December 2022. These patients were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 40 patients in each group. Patients in the experimental group received a hepatoprotective formula consisting of Astragalus membranaceus, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Schisandra chinensis, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis, along with the antiviral drug entecavir and continuous nursing, while patients in the control group received only entecavir and routine care. Outcome measures during the study included clinical efficacy, liver function indicators (ALT, AST), coagulation function indicators (PT, TT), traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores (to track changes in symptoms like rib pain and abdominal distension), treatment compliance, and quality of life. These measures provided a comprehensive assessment of the therapeutic effects, covering both Western medical and traditional Chinese medicine perspectives.

Results: The total effective rate in the experimental group was 92.5%, significantly higher than the 77.5% in the control group (P < .05). Liver function significantly improved in the experimental group, with mean ALT decreasing from 128.4 U/L at baseline to 49.2 U/L after treatment, and mean AST decreasing from 102.6 U/L to 41.8 U/L (both P < .01). Coagulation function also showed greater improvements, with mean PT decreasing from 19.2 s to 14.8 s and mean TT decreasing from 22.4 s to 17.5 s in the experimental group (both P < .01), compared to more modest changes in the control group. Traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores for rib pain and abdominal distension decreased by 75% and 80% respectively in the experimental group, indicating significant relief of these symptoms. Patient treatment compliance was 95% in the experimental group versus 82% in the control group. Quality of life scores improved by 28% in the experimental group compared to 15% in the control group.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a comprehensive treatment approach combining a traditional Chinese medicine-based hepatoprotective formula with Western antiviral therapy and continuous nursing care can provide significantly greater benefits for patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis compared to antiviral therapy alone. The experimental group showed superior outcomes across multiple measures, including liver function, coagulation status, traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores, treatment compliance, and quality of life. These findings suggest that integrating a herbal hepatoprotective formula into the standard of care for hepatitis B cirrhosis may be a valuable strategy to improve clinical outcomes and patient well-being. Further research is warranted to validate these results and explore the underlying mechanisms by which this comprehensive approach exerts its hepatoprotective effects. Implementing this combined treatment protocol has the potential to optimize the management of hepatitis B cirrhosis in clinical practice.