Objective:

2

To investigate the relation of blood arsenic concentration (BAC) with clinical effect and safety of arsenic-containing Qinghuang Powder (青黄散

QHP) in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Methods:

2

Totally 163 patients with MDS were orally treated with QHP for 2 courses of treatment

3 months as 1 course. The BACs of patients were detected by atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry at 1

3

and 6 months during the treatment

and the effective rate

hematological improvement and safety in patients after treatment with QHP were analyzed.

Results:

2

After 2 courses of treatment

the total effective rate was 89.6% (146/163)

with 31.3% (51/163) of hematological improvement and 58.3% (95/163) of stable disease. The hemoglobin increased from 73.48±19.30 g/L to 80.39±26.56 g/L (

P

<

0.05)

the absolute neutrophil count increased from 0.81±0.48×10

9

/L to 1.08±0.62×10

9

/L (

P

<

0.05)

and no significant changes were observed in platelet counts (

P

>

0.05). Among 46 patients previously depended on blood transfusion

28.3% (13/46) completely got rid of blood transfusion and 21.7% (10/46) reduced the volume of blood transfusion by more than 50% after treatment. The BACs were significantly increased in patients treated for 1 month with 32.17±18.04 μg/L (

P

<

0.05)

3 months with 33.56±15.28 μg/L (

P

<

0.05)

and 6 months with 36.78±11.92 μg/L (

P

<

0.05)

respectively

as compared with those before treatment (4.08±2.11 μg/L). There were no significant differences of BACs among the patients treated for 1

3 and 6 months (

P

>

0.05). The adverse reactions of digestive tract during the treatment were mild abdominal pain and diarrhea in 14 cases (8.6%)

and no patients discontinued the treatment. The BACs of patients with gastrointestinal adverse reactions were significantly lower than those without gastrointestinal adverse reactions (22.39±10.38 vs. 37.89±11.84

μg/L

P

<

0.05). The BACs of patients with clinical effect were significantly higher than those failed to treatment (40.41±11.69 vs. 23.84±12.03

μg/L

P

<

0.05).

Conclusion:

2

QHP was effective and safe in the treatment of patients with MDS and the effect was associated with BACs of patients.