Intermediate and late rheumatoid arthritis treated by tonifying the kidney, resolving phlegm and removing blood stasis.

Eighty-seven cases of intermediate and late rheumatoid arthritis were treated with Instant Shu Guan Wen Jing Granules ([symbol: see text] Relaxing Joints by Warming Channels) and Instant Shu Guan Qing Luo Granules ([symbol: see text] Relaxing Joints by Removing Heat from the Lung Channel) to tonify the kidney, resolve phlegm and remove blood stasis, and compared with 41 cases treated with Instant Wang Bi Granules ([symbol: see text] Prescription for Arthralgia-syndrome). The treatment produced a clinical cure rate of 54.0% and a total effective rate of 90.8% as in against 29.3% and 73.2% respectively in the control group. The difference was significant (P < 0.01). Improvement in main symptoms and laboratory findings in the treatment group was all more marked than that in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), with no side effects observed.