Effect of Monotherapy Weifuchun Tablets on Chronic Atropic Gastritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Background and Aim: Chronic atrophic gastritis is a common gastric disease which shows a positive correlation with the occurrence of gastric cancer. Traditional chinese medicines have been used in the treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis. There is no solid evidence for the curative effects of traditional chinese medicines. This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of Weifuchun tablets on patients with chronic atrophic gastritis. Methods 97 patients of chronic atrophic gastritis without current H. pylori infection were divided into two groups: an experiment group treated with Weifuchun and a control group treated with teprenone and folic acid for six months. Pathological examination of gastric biopsies and clinical symptoms assessment were performed for all patients before and after treatments. Primary outcome was the pathological response rate in each group evaluated by changes of histological scores.Secondary outcome was the clinical symptom scores. Results Twenty four patients in the Weifuchun group and twenty eight patients in the control group completed the study. The pathological response rates for atrophy and intestinal metaplasia were 66.7% and 45.8% in the Weifuchun group and 66.7% and 42.9% in the folic acid group, respectively, without statistical significance between groups.Clinical symptoms failed to improve after treatments in either group. Conclusions Weifuchun is effective to improve pathological changes of chronic atrophic gastritis in patients without current H. pylori infection. Monotherapy of Weifuchun had a similar efficacy to the combined therapy by teprenone and folic acid in the treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis. Trial registration: Evaluation of Weifuchun Pills on chronic atrophic gastritis, ChiCTR-IPR-17013939, Registered 15 December 2017, http://www.chictr.org.cn/ showproj.aspx?proj = 23910.