ANALYSIS OF THE CLINICAL EFFICACY AND TENDON REFLEX AND ELECTROMYOGRAPHY IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ZHACHONG SHISANWEI PILL IN TREATING DIABETIC PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

Zhuang Shi¹, Lan Du^{2, *}, Likun Han³, Hongguang Jin¹, Huaxin Wang¹

¹Orthopedics Department, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia MinZu University, Tongliao 028000, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China - ²College of Mongolian Medicine, Inner Mongolia MinZu university, Tongliao 028000, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China - ³Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia MinZu university, Tongliao 028000, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China

Objective: This paper aims to analyse the clinical efficacy and tendon reflex and EMG (SNCV, MNCV) improvements associated with the Zhachong Shisanwei pill in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). 

Methods: From August 2018 to July 2019, we randomly selected 186 DPN patients in our hospital and randomly divided them into observation group and control group, with 93 in each group. After admission, we prescribed all patients routine hypoglycemic therapy, exercise, and diet, combined with metformin glibenclamide tablets (I) and repaglinide tablets. We treated the control group with lipoic acid and gave the observation group the Zhachong Shisanwei pill, both on the basis of conventional hypoglycemic therapy. We used a percussion hammer to tap the tendon at the proximal and distal bone to elicit reflex, and hence detect patients’ tendon reflexes. Electromyography/evoked potential instrumentation measured sensory conduction (SNCV) velocity and motor conduction (MNCV) velocity. We observed the therapeutic effects on the two groups and compared changes in tendon reflex and electromyography between them. 

Results: The total effective rate of the observation group was 83.87%, and that of the control group was 72.04%. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). After treatment, the tendon reflex level and tendon reflex (knee reflex, ankle reflex) score of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05); and the SNCV and MNCV conduction velocities of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). 

Conclusion: The Zhachong Shisanwei pill has displayed significant clinical efficacy, high safety, and few adverse reactions in the treatment of DPN, which can significantly improve the tendon reflex level of patients, as well as the SNCV and MNCV conduction velocities. Hence, the treatment has important clinical application value.