ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate of the clinical efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine Huaqi Powder and vitamin C among elderly patients with distal radius fractures in the chronic pain management. Methods:A total of 200 patients diagnosed with non-displaced distal radius fracture were enrolled by our hospital from March 2015 to February 2017, who were devided into Control Group (CG, 96 patients) and Treatment Group (TG, 104 patients) with randomized number table method. The Control Group took vitamin C orally and the Treatment Group took Huaqi Powder orally. Both groups were treated for 50 days. The VAS score, DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) score, occurrence of CRPS, mechanical pain threshold, serum levels of Neuron Growth Factor (NGF), C telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I) and Osteocalcin(OC) were measured and compared at the 26th and 52th weeks. Results:A total of 181 patients were followed up (85 in the CG and 96 in TG). At the 26th week, occurrence of CRPS in TG were significantly lower than that of the CG ( t=6.273, P<0.05), and both groups were followed up until fracture healing. The VAS and DASH scores in the TG were significantly lower than those in the control group ( t=5.768, 3.992, P<0.01); mechanical pain threshold of TG was significantly higher than that of the CG ( t=-2.759, P<0.01); plasma NGF level of the TG was significantly lower than that of the CG ( t=4.458, P<0.01). At the 52nd week of fracture, the mechanical pain threshold at the fracture of the TG was significantly higher than that of the control group ( t=-2.285, P<0.05) and plasma NGF levels were significantly lower than that of the CG ( t=6.175, P<0.01). Conclusions:The Huaqi Powder can decrease the short-term occurrence rate of CRPS among elderly patients after distal radius fracture. Huaqi Powder can also improve chronic pain, relieve the hyperpathia symptoms, and the potential mechanism may be related to the down-regulating of NGF expression.