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To evaluate the efficacy of Xielikang capsules (XLKC) in the treatment of HIV-related diarrhea (HRD) and its effect on the plasma concentration of interleukin-17 (IL-17).This was a randomized, open-label, positively-controlled clinical trial. Sixty-seven HRD patients were randomly assigned to two groups: one group was treated with XLKC (n = 35), the other with diosmectite (Smecta®, n = 32). All patients were treated for 4 weeks. The HRD symptom scores were evaluated in each patient based on the frequency of diarrhea, and the quality and shape of the stool according to the Chinese Medicine Clinical Treatment of AIDS Program. The plasma concentration of IL-17 before and after treatment was measured with ELISA.Compared with the Smecta® group, the XLKC group had a significantly reduced frequency of diarrhea and HRD symptom score regarding the quality and shape of stools (P0.05). The IL-17 concentration in the peripheral blood of the XLKC group was significantly increased after treatment, while the IL-17 concentration in the Smecta® group significantly decreased after treatment.XLKC improves the symptoms of patients with HRD, and increases the plasma concentration of IL-17.

Objective To investigate the effect of a treatment course of comprehensive intervention with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on the mortality of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) treated with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Methods AIDS patients who had taken cART in a national TCM human immunodeficiency virus treatment trial program (NTCMTP) before 2009 were enrolled in this study and followed for 36 months from November 2009. Patients enrolled in the NTCMTP in 2004 were taken as the first group, those enrolled in 2006 as the second group, and those enrolled in 2009 as the third group. Cumulative survival rates were calculated by the life table method. Survival curves for subgroups were compared by the log-rank test. Hazard ratios were calculated with a Cox proportional hazards model. Results A total of 1443 AIDS patients were followed for 3 years (4198 person-years). During this period, 91 (6.3%) patients died and 13 (0.9%) were lost to follow-up. The total mortality rate was 2.17/100 person-years. The mortality rate of patients enrolled in the NTCMTP in 2004 was 1.49/100 person-years, which was lower than that of patients enrolled in 2006 (2.23/100 person-years) and 2009 (3.48/100 person-years). After adjusting for other factors, a shorter time of treatment with TCM, male sex, older age, lower CD4 + T-cell counts, and long-term treatment with cART were risk factors of mortality. Conclusion Long-term treatment with TCM decreased the mortality risk of AIDS patients. Factors such as being male, older age, CD4+ T-cell counts, and time of treatment with TCM and cART were correlated with mortality.

Complementary and alternative medicine, including Chinese medicine (CM), has been used to treat acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) for almost 30 years. We aimed to compare the main differences between AIDS treatment and evaluation strategies between CM and Western Medicine (WM), and analyze advantages and disadvantages. The characteristics of integrative medicine (IM), based on CM and WM, include a patient-centered mode of medicine based on evidence. IM focuses on complex intervention and management with systemic and individual treatment. The evaluation indexes of IM might consist of objective indicators and subjective indexes. IM might be a more valuable method for treating AIDS in the future instead of WM or CM alone.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a worldwide public health problem and an incurable disease. The roles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on AIDS had been recognized and accepted by more and more people. Being a relatively long period, to initiate combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) for the asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection patient is not consensus. According to TCM theory, not only the imbalance of Yin and Yang but also the disharmony of internal body function and external natural environment had occurred in the body of the patient, the imbalance and the disharmony should be adjusted by the means of the treatment based on the patters identified among the symptoms in terms of TCM. We aimed to analyze the feature of patients with asymptomatic infection, and compare the advantages and disadvantages of the usage of cART for asymptomatic infection, explored the possible mechanism underlying TCM treatment of the asymptomatic infection, by reviewing the TCM treatment progress on asymptomatic HIV infection.