Serum low-density lipoprotein and heart rate related to the effectiveness in the treatment of angina pectoris with two similar Chinese medicine herbal formulae

Objective: To explore the effectiveness related indicators which might help identify the indications of Tongxinluo Capsule and Kangxin Capsule targeting on qi deficiency and blood stasis pattern in Chinese medicine (CM) in the treatment of angina pectoris.

Methods: The data from a multicenter, randomized and double-blinded study conducted at 5 centers in China were obtained for the analysis. A total of 239 patients with angina pectoris and CM syndrome of qi deficiency and blood stasis were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to Tongxinluo Capsule group (119 cases) and Kangxin Capsule group (120 cases). Angina effectiveness and electrocardiogram (ECG) improvement were selected as the therapeutic outcomes.

Results: After a 4-week treatment, the effective rates of Tongxinluo Capsule and Kangxin Capsule were 43.70% and 25.00%, respectively (P<0.05). Serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level was found to influence the effectiveness of Tongxinluo Capsule which had higher effective rate in the patients with lower level of LDL. Heart rate was found to influence the effectiveness in the patients treated with Kangxin Capsule which had higher effective rate in the patients with heart rate 80 beats/min.

Conclusion: LDL level and heart rate were the indicators which help indentify the indications of Tongxinluo Capsule and Kangxin Capsule, respectively, in the treatment of angina pectoris with CM syndrome of qi deficiency and blood stasis.