Effect of YuPingFeng granules on clinical symptoms of stable COPD: study protocol for a multicenter, double-blind, and randomized controlled trial

Reducing current clinical symptoms and the risks of future exacerbations is the main goal of stable COPD management. Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in chronic disease management. YuPingFeng (YPF), as a classical prescription, has been proven to reduce the risk of exacerbations, but there is a lack of high-quality evidence for the assessment of clinical symptoms and quality of life, particularly for the assessment of treatment response of microecology and immunity. This is a prospective, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 316 eligible subjects with moderate to severe COPD will be randomized 1:1 to receive YPF or placebo. Participants will receive either YPF or a placebo at 5 g three times daily for 52 weeks. The primary outcome will be the change in the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score after 52 weeks of treatment. Secondary outcomes will include changes in the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score and clinical symptom score, among others. Outcomes will be measured at each visit. The study will continue for 52 weeks and will include six visits to each subject (at day 0 and weeks 4,12,24,36 and 52). In the event of exacerbations, subjects will be required to go back to the hospital once on the first day of exacerbation or when their condition permits. This trial will provide research methods to evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety, and the possible mechanism of YPF in the treatment of stable moderate-to-severe COPD patients. In addition, we hope to provide more possibilities for TCM to participate in the management of stable COPD. The trial was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry on 3 June 2022 (ChiCTR2200060476; date recorded: 3/6/2022, https://www.chictr.org.cn/ ).