Clinical therapeutic effect of self-prescribed Sanhanchushi Tongbi on lumbar disc herniation

Table 1 Comparison of the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores

Group	n	TCM syndrome score
		Before treatment	After treatment
Observation group	104	14.36 ± 3.57	6.21 ± 2.11
Control group	107	14.28 ± 3.43	7.46 ± 3.08
t value		0.166	3.429
P value		> 0.05	< 0.05

TCM: Traditional Chinese medicine.

Table 2 Comparison of the Japanese Orthopedic Association scores

Group	n	Main symptoms		Clinical signs		Daily activity		JOA scores
		Before treatment	After treatment	Before treatment	After treatment	Before treatment	After treatment	Before treatment	After treatment
Observation group	104	5.24 ± 0.56	7.84 ± 1.03	2.54 ± 0.50	4.58 ± 0.63	7.79 ± 1.68	12.06 ± 1.16	15.57 ± 1.89	24.48 ± 1.56
Control group	107	5.19 ± 0.62	6.79 ± 1.13	2.51 ± 0.50	3.54 ± 0.57	7.81 ± 1.54	11.34 ± 1.87	15.51 ± 1.84	21.67 ± 2.37
t value		0.614	7.048	0.436	12.581	0.090	3.350	0.234	10.143
P value		> 0.05	< 0.05	> 0.05	< 0.05	> 0.05	< 0.05	> 0.05	< 0.05

JOA: Japanese Orthopedic Association.

Table 3 Comparison of the visual analog scale scores

Group	n	VAS
		Before treatment	After treatment
Observation group	104	8.25 ± 1.11	2.25 ± 0.54
Control group	107	8.12 ± 1.24	3.12 ± 0.87
t value		0.802	8.698
P value		> 0.05	< 0.05

VAS: Visual analog scale.

Table 4 Comparison of the Oswestry disability index

Group	n	ODI
		Before treatment	After treatment
Observation group	104	41.56 ± 4.21	14.15 ± 7.25
Control group	107	41.52 ± 4.24	22.54 ± 7.14
t value		0.069	8.469
P value		> 0.05	< 0.05

ODI: Oswestry disability index.

Table 5 Comparison of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and C-reactive protein levels

Group	n	IL-6 (μg/L)		TNF-α (ng/L)		CRP (mg/L)
		Before treatment	After treatment	Before treatment	After treatment	Before treatment	After treatment
Observation group	104	134.25 ± 7.34	90.24 ± 5.25	2.88 ± 0.25	1.05 ± 0.12	24.32 ± 3.58	9.24 ± 2.64
Control group	107	133.55 ± 7.28	109.62 ± 6.77	2.86 ± 0.22	1.36 ± 0.34	24.28 ± 3.44	14.68 ± 2.97
t value		0.695	23.191	0.617	8.878	0.082	14.048
P value		> 0.05	< 0.05	> 0.05	< 0.05	> 0.05	< 0.05

IL-6: Interleukin-6; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α; CRP: C-reactive protein.

Table 6 Comparison of S substance P and neuropeptide Y levels

Group	n	SP (ng/L)		NPY (ng/L)
		Before treatment	After treatment	Before treatment	After treatment
Observation group	104	368.84 ± 27.54	102.38 ± 19.87	142.28 ± 15.87	38.69 ± 5.34
Control group	107	367.94 ± 27.78	131.65 ± 20.34	142.11 ± 15.84	69.64 ± 5.87
t value		26.489	10.570	0.077	40.028
P value		> 0.05	< 0.05	> 0.05	< 0.05

SP: Substance P; NPY: Neuropeptide Y.

Table 7 Comparison of superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde levels

Group	n	SOD (mg/L)		MAD (μg/L)
		Before treatment	After treatment	Before treatment	After treatment
Observation group	104	92.74 ± 5.44	134.57 ± 7.42	5.82 ± 1.54	2.15 ± 0.54
Control group	107	93.47 ± 5.51	112.54 ± 6.24	5.76 ± 1.49	4.05 ± 0.67
t value		0.968	23.365	0.287	22.641
P value		> 0.05	< 0.05	> 0.05	< 0.05

SOD: Superoxide dismutase; MAD: Malondialdehyde.

Table 8 Comparison of clinical outcomes, n (%)

Group	n	Cure	Improvement	Failure to heal	Overall efficiency
Observation group	104	68 (65.38)	32 (30.77)	4 (3.85)	100 (96.15)
Control group	107	52 (48.60)	43 (40.19)	12 (11.21)	95 (88.79)
χ2		-	-	-	4.086
P value		-	-	-	< 0.05