Objective  To investigate the clinical efficacy of supplemented Cangma Pills in the treatment of patients with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis differentiated as syndrome of stagnation of phlegm-dampness in lung.

  Methods  Totally 68 patients with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis were randomly divided into two groups. The control group was treated with salbutamol sulfate aerosol and ambroxol hydrochloride tablets, and the observation group was treated with supplemented Cangma Pills on the basis of the control group. Both groups were treated for 2 weeks. The score of syndrome of stagnation of phlegm-dampness in lung, pulmonary functions, clinical efficacy and levels of serum C reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count (WBC) and neutrophil percentage (NEU%) were compared between the two groups.

  Results  After 2 weeks of treatment, the scores of syndrome of stagnation of phlegm-dampness in lung (white expectoration, thick phlegm, fullness, poor appetite and digestion, heavy body) and the levels of serum CRP, WBC and NEU% in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, while the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV₁), forced vital capacity (FVC), the ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second to forced vital capacity (FEV₁/FVC) and the total effective rate in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

  Conclusion  Application of supplemented Cangma Pills on the basis of conventional treatment is effective in the treatment of patients with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis differentiated as syndrome of stagnation of phlegm-dampness in lung, which can improve the pulmonary functions of patients and reduce the levels of infectious related indicators.