To study the clinical effects of Shufeng Jiedu capsules in treating elderly patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection.

From May 2010 to April 2012, four research centers enrolled 120 patients according to the admission criteria. For the patients with a clear diagnosis of acute upper respiratory tract infection, Shufeng Jiedu capsules were used, 4 capsules each time, 3 times every day, for 3 days. The vital signs and the symptoms such as fever, sore throat, head pain, nasal obstruction, turbid nasal discharge, cough, and pharyngeal mucosal hyperemia, were recorded before, during, and after treatment, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed on the efficacies of Shufeng Jiedu capsules on the disease, the body temperature, and other individual symptoms (including healing, marked effect, effectiveness, and ineffectiveness), and quantitative scoring was performed to evaluate its safety.

A total of 114 patients (54 males and 60 females) completed this trial. The efficacy analysis showed a total effective rate of 94.7% (108/114). After 3 days of treatment, the body temperature of 93.8% (107/114) of the patients returned to the normal range, and the median time for the body temperature becoming effective was 4.0 hours. The results of changes in individual symptoms showed that the total effective rates of treatment for sore throat, cough, head pain, nasal obstruction, turbid nasal discharge, cough, and pharyngeal mucosal hyperemia were 82.4% (94/114), 82.4% (94/114), 81.6% (93/114), 79.2% (89/114), 79.2% (89/114), and 79.2% (89/114), respectively. Further quantitative analysis showed that fever and pharyngeal pain relief were obvious. Better effects were also found in cough, head pain, nasal obstruction and pharyngeal mucosal congestion. Shufeng Jiedu capsules also improved the body temperature, respiratory rate, and diastolic blood pressure.

Shufeng Jiedu capsules have significant therapeutic effects on the elderly patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection, and therefore, can be used as an option for elderly patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection.