A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Effects of Qili Qiangxin Capsules in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2013-09, Vol.62 (12), p.1065-1072
• Main Authors: Li, Xinli, MD, PhD, Zhang, Jian, MD, PhD, Huang, Jun, MD, Ma, Aiqun, MD, Yang, Jiefu, MD, Li, Weimin, MD, Wu, Zonggui, MD, Yao, Chen, PhD, Zhang, Yuhui, MD, PhD, Yao, Wenming, MD, PhD, Zhang, Boli, MD, Gao, Runlin, MD, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Blood diseases; Cardiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular; China - epidemiology; Chinese medicine; chronic heart failure; Disease; Double-Blind Method; Drug dosages; Drug therapy; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; Echocardiography, Doppler; Enzymes; Exercise Test; FDA approval; Female; Heart; Heart attacks; Heart failure; Heart Failure - blood; Heart Failure - diagnostic imaging; Heart Failure - drug therapy; Heart Failure - mortality; Heart failure, cardiogenic pulmonary edema, cardiac enlargement; Humans; Internal Medicine; Laboratories; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain - blood; Peptide Fragments - blood; Phytotherapy; Plasma; qili qiangxin capsules; Quality of Life; randomized controlled trial; Severity of Illness Index; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.05.035

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of qili qiangxin capsules in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Background Qili qiangxin capsules are a traditional Chinese medicine that has been approved in China for the treatment of CHF, but the evidence supporting its efficacy remains unclear. Methods A total of 512 patients with CHF were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive the placebo or qili qiangxin capsules in addition to their standard medications for the treatment of CHF. The primary endpoint was the reduction or percent change in the plasma N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level during 12 weeks of treatment. Results At the 12-week follow-up, a significant reduction in the NT-proBNP level from baseline was observed in both groups, but the qili qiangxin capsule group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction than the placebo group (p = 0.002); 47.95% of patients in the qili qiangxin capsule group demonstrated reductions in NT-proBNP levels of at least 30% compared with 31.98% of patients in the placebo group (p < 0.001). Treatment with qili qiangxin capsules also demonstrated superior performance in comparison to the placebo with respect to New York Heart Association functional classification, left ventricular ejection fraction, 6-min walking distance, and quality of life. Conclusions On a background of standard treatment, qili qiangxin capsules further reduced the levels of NT-proBNP. Together, our data suggest that qili qiangxin capsules could be used in combination therapy for CHF.