Shufeng Xuanfei Treatment Of Cough Variant Asthma Clinical Research

My instructor, Professor Cao Enxiang, has been in clinical Chinese medicine for over 40 years. He has been constantly into probing the diseases of the respiratory system and over these years, he has gathered many clinical experiences especially on the pathogenic factors, pathogenesis, and treatment principles of cough variant asthma (CVA). Due to the characteristics such as sudden onset, on-and-off alternation, and repeated attacks of the CVA, my instructor believes that this disease is coherent with the characteristics of the wind pathogen, which are: constantly moving and changing and leading all other pathogens. The wind pathogen derives from the abnormal qi of nature. It easily combines with other pathogens causing disorders. Professor Cao pointed out that when speaking of the "outer wind pathogen", aside from wind-heat and wind-cold, we should also include all kinds of allergenic factors such as pollens, fungi, cold air, irritative and volatile matters, pathogenic bacteria, and viruses. He, therefore, innovatively pointed out that the pathogenesis of CVA is: wind pathogen attacks the lungs, causing the abnormal dispersion and descending function of the lungs, resulting in the spasm of the airway. According to the pathogenesis, treatment methods such as dispelling wind to ventilate the lungs, relieving spasm and cough, and nourishing yin to moisturize the lungs are used. Finally, achieving the results of dispersed outer pathogens, soothed airway, and cleared channels and collaterals. The normal dispersing and descending function of the lungs and recovered, then the activities of qi continue to function, therefore; minimizing the nonspecific inflammation of the airway, lowering the hyper-reactions of the airway, achieving the goal of curing CVA from its origin.This thesis is a research on 120 cases of CVA, who meet the diagnostic requirements stated in the American Journal of Internal Medicine桼espiratory System. 60 cases served as the treatment group and were treated with the Decoction of dispelling wind and relieving cough, which can dispel wind and ventilate the lungs, relieve spasm and cough, and nourish yin to moisturize the lungs. The other 60 cases were chosen to be the control group. This group is treated with Formula and Becotide. Patients from both groups received a number of laboratory tests before and after treatment. These tests include: eosinophilic granulocyte count, blood IgE test, airway hyper-reaction test, blood serum EL-5 test, blood sensitinogen test. The tests before and after treatment were analyzed and results proved that: the rate of controlled expression and the total effectiveness rate of the treatment group were 71.67% and 88.33% respectively, while that of the control group were 41.67% and 66.67% respectively. In the improvement of symptoms and physical signs, time of initial effectiveness, eliminating irritation of the throat, relieving cough, improving the hyper-reactivity of the airway to allergenic factors such as cold air, smoke, and irritative and volatile matters, the treatment group showed better results compared to the control group.