Clinical observation of the treatment of acute pancreatitis with traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation

Introduction

Acute pancreatitis (AP), a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder characterized by pancreatic auto-digestion, currently lacks targeted therapeutic agents despite its clinical significance. In contemporary medical practice, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulations have gained increasing clinical traction for AP management in China. This retrospective controlled trial systematically investigated the therapeutic potential of a novel compound herbal formulation, with a focused evaluation of its clinical efficacy and safety profile in the management of acute pancreatitis (AP).

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled 363 acute pancreatitis (AP) patients, stratified into two cohorts: 235 patients receiving traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) intervention, and 128 patients allocated to the control group. Both cohorts received standardized therapeutic interventions upon hospitalization. Clinical parameters including time to first defecation, admission intra-abdominal pressure, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, postoperative intra-abdominal pressure at 48-hour intervals, incidence of adverse reactions and complications, and prognostic outcomes were systematically monitored and recorded throughout the treatment course.

Results

The clinical investigation demonstrated that patients administered a TCM-based therapeutic regimen exhibited significantly accelerated time to first bowel movement compared with the control cohort following hospital admission (p<0.001). Comparative analysis revealed no statistically significant intergroup differences in abdominal pressure reduction, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, or clinical recovery status at baseline assessment. However, subsequent to 48 hours of therapeutic intervention, the TCM group demonstrated statistically superior reductions in both intra-abdominal pressure (p<0.001) and serum CRP concentrations (p<0.001) relative to conventional treatment recipients. Notably, the TCM intervention cohort exhibited a significantly lower incidence of adverse reactions and post-treatment complications (p<0.001) .

Conclusion

The treatment group administered TCM, a Chinese herbal compound formulation, exhibited significantly superior clinical efficacy in multiple outcome measures compared to conventional therapy. Specifically, TCM demonstrated enhanced constipation relief, more substantial reduction in inflammatory markers, greater mitigation of intra-abdominal pressure, and lower incidence of adverse reactions during acute pancreatitis management.