Clinical Study on Modified Xionggui Buzhong Decoction for Intrauterine Adhesions of Qi Deficiency and Blood Stasis Type After Transcervical Resection of Adhesions Based on Metabolomics
Abstract:Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of modified Xionggui Buzhong Decoction in the treatment of patients with intrauterine adhesions (IUA) of qi deficiency and blood stasis type after hysteroscopic transcervical resection of adhesions (TCRA) based on metabolomics. Methods:A total of 80 patients with IUA of qi deficiency and blood stasis type who underwent TCRA at Yiwu Maternity and Children Hospital from April 2023 to December 2024 were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group using the random number table method,with 40 cases in each group. The control group received Estradiol Tablets/Estradiol and Dydrogesterone Tablets and Aspirin,while the observation group received modified Xionggui Buzhong Decoction in addition to the treatment given to the control group. Both groups were treated continuously for three months. The clinical efficacy, changes in endometrial thickness, uterine artery blood flow parameters,and serum metabolomics were compared between the two groups. Results:After treatment, the total effective rate was 95.00% (38/40) in the observation group and 92.50% (37/40) in the control group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, endometrial thickness increased in both groups compared with that before treatment (P<0.05),and the endometrial thickness in the observation group was greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment,the uterine artery pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), and systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio decreased in both groups compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the uterine artery PI, RI, and S/D ratio were lower in the observation group than those in the control group (P<0.05). Metabolomics analysis comparing serum of IUA patients (10 cases in the control group and 10 cases in the observation group) with that of healthy controls (10 cases) revealed 62 differential metabolites (P<0.05), of which 43 were upregulated and 19 were downregulated in IUA patients. Further analysis showed that 4-hydroxy-5(phenyl)- valeric acid-O-sulphate, virginiamycin M1, sphingosine-1-phosphate, and phosphatidylcholine (13, 5 dimethyl fatty acid/prostaglandin E1) were significantly upregulated in the control group after treatment; while valine-betaxanthin, leukotriene D4, and bisacurone epoxide were significantly downregulated in the control group after treatment. Valine-betaxanthin and cyclo(arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-D-phenylalaninevaline, short as RGDfV cyclic peptide) were significantly downregulated in the observation group after treatment. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) analysis indicated that IUA-related differential metabolites were primarily involved in lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism pathways. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that the differential metabolites were mainly concentrated in the neuroactive ligandreceptor interaction and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways. Conclusion: Treatment with Estradiol Tablets/Estradiol and Dydrogesterone Tablets and Aspirin, either alone or combined with modified Xionggui Buzhong Decoction, can effectively improve clinical symptoms, increase endometrial thickness, and improve uterine artery blood flow in IUA patients after TCRA. The integration of traditional Chinese and western medicine yields certain outcomes. Patients with IUA exhibit distinct metabolomic profiles compared with healthy individuals, and the pathogenesis of IUA may be associated with lipid metabolism disorders. Modified Xionggui Buzhong Decoction may promote angiogenesis and endometrial recovery by downregulating the expression of the RGDfV cyclic peptide.