[Effect of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy on progression of acute renal failure in patients with chronic renal insufficiency: a short-term clinical study].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy on the progression of acute renal failure in patients with chronic renal insufficiency. METHODS Thirty-two patients with chronic renal insufficiency developed acute renal failure recently were treated with Chinese herbs and western drugs intravenously and clysterizing of Chinese herbs liquid for 30 minutes, and the treatment course was 14 days. Assessment of liver and renal function, blood routine, electrolytes and endogenous creatinine clearance rate (Ccr) was performed before and 2 weeks after the treatment. RESULTS The levels of hemoglobin (HB), white blood cell count (WBC) and serum electrolytes showed no significant changes after the treatment. The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) decreased, while the level of Ccr increased significantly (P<0.05) after the treatment. The total effective rate was 65.6%. CONCLUSION The integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy can effectively delay the deterioration of renal function in patients with chronic renal insufficiency accompanied by acute renal failure.