A clinical research on the effect of retinal photocoagulation combined with Tangwangkang for the treatment of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the effect of retinal laser photocoagulation combined with traditional Chinese medicine Tangwangkang capsule for the treatment of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). Methods In a parallel randomized trial, 84 patients of NPDR were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group with 56 eyes of 42 cases in each group. In the treatment group, the patients were treated with retinal photocoagulation combined with oral traditional Chinese medicine TangWangKang capsule. In the control group, the patients were treated with retinal photocoagulation combined with oral Difrarel. After 3 months of medicine treatment, the vision, electro-physiological test, fluorescence fundus angiography, OCT and hemorheological changes were observed to evaluate the treatment effect. Results The curative effect of the treatment group was better than that of the control group. The postoperative visual acuity of treatment group was better than that of control group and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ2=5.6, P=0.036). The peak value and latency period of electro-physiological oscillatory potentials (OPs) in treatment group were better than those of control group and the differences were statistically significant between the two groups. (F=6.80, P=0.042). Hemorheological changes were improved in both two groups. Blood viscosity, eruthrocutes sedimentation rate and whole blood viscosity significantly declined after the treatment in both groups (HSV F=15.2, P=0.008; ESR F=12.1, P=0.0088; HRV F=12.1, P=0.009), and the red blood cell deformed exponent increased significantly (F=15.2, P=0.0076). The differences in all parameters of hemorheological changes between before and after the treatment in both two groups were statistically significant (P=0.04). There was no statistically significant difference in macula thickness by OCT examination between the two groups (F=2.35, P=0.324). Conclusion Retinal photocoagulation combined with traditional Chinese medicine TangWangKang capsule is effective for NPDR. Key words: Diabetic retinopathy, nonproliferative; Retinal photocoagulation; Chinese medicine Tangwangkang