To observe the efficacy of Shufeng Zhisou Decoction combined with montelukast sodium in the treatment of patients with cough variant asthma (CVA) and its influence on the airway inflammatory factors levels, pulmonary function and T lymphocyte immune balance.

104 CVA patients with pattern of wind pathogen attacking the lung were selected from September 2023 to July 2024 in Beijing Hepingli Hospital, and were divided into western medicine group (montelukast sodium on the basis of routine treatment) and combined group (Shufeng Zhisou Decoction on the basis of Western medicine group) according to the random number table method, 52 cases in each group. The clinical efficacy, TCM symptoms scores, airway inflammatory factors [fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), sputum eosinophil (EOS), sputum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP)], pulmonary function [forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in the first second as a percentage of predicted value (FEV1)] and T lymphocyte immune balance [interleukin-4 (IL-4), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IFN-γ/IL-4] before and after treatment, adverse reactions and recurrence rate within 1 months of follow-up were compared between groups.

The combined group had higher total effective rate of treatment (90.38% vs 75.00%) than the Western medicine group (P <0.05). After treatment, the scores of cough, expectoration and pharyngeal pruritus in the two groups were decreased (P <0.05), and the scores in combined group [(0.60 ± 0.11) points vs(0.84 ± 0.14) points]、[(0.64 ± 0.11) points vs(0.87 ± 0.14) points]、[(0.68 ± 0.12) points vs(0.79 ± 0.14) points] were lower after treatment (P <0.05). The levels of FeNO, sputum EOS, ECP and serum IL-4 were reduced in both groups after treatment (P <0.05), FVC, PEF, FEV1, IFN-γ and IFN-γ/IL-4 in the two groups were enhanced (P <0.05), and there were statistical differences between groups after treatment (P <0.05).

Shufeng Zhisou Decoction combined with montelukast sodium can effectively improve the clinical symptoms and pulmonary function of CVA, relieve the airway inflammation, regulate the T lymphocyte immune imbalance, and improve the prognosis.