Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Organ Failure in Critically Ill Surgical ICU Patients A Two-Week Treatment Study Comparing TCM and Routine ICU Care

What this Trial Is About

Critically ill patients in intensive care units ICUs are at risk of or suffering from failure of one or more vital organs or organ systems. Researchers are evaluating the impact and effect of traditional Chinese medicine TCM treatments on these patients to see if TCM can help prevent or treat organ failure. This is a multi-center, non-randomized real-world data study that includes three groups an intervention group receiving TCM, a control group receiving routine ICU care, and a historical control group that received routine ICU care between 2019 and 2023. Patients in the intervention group receive one or a combination of TCM treatments including oral Chinese herbal decoctions prescribed after a TCM diagnosis, acupuncture, or low-level laser acupuncture applied to acupuncture points. The oral decoctions are taken two to three times daily for two weeks, while acupuncture or laser treatments are given twice a week for 20 minutes each session during the same two-week period. All patients continue to receive ICU care and medication based on their needs. The control groups receive routine ICU care without TCM interventions. Participants will be monitored over a follow-up period of two weeks, during which researchers will assess outcomes such as Sequential Organ Failure Assessment SOFA scores, length of stay in the ICU and hospital, days using mechanical ventilation, and usage of Western medicine medications. Additional measurements include kidney and liver function, respiratory parameters, cardiovascular function, and neurological status assessed by Glasgow Coma Scale. Data collection occurs daily during the two-week intervention period to evaluate the effect of TCM alongside standard ICU care.

The Impact and Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment on Organ Failure in Critically Ill Patients