OBJECTIVE To observe the clinical efficacy of Shaoqi Yijia Prescription in the treatment of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) with liver depression and spleen deficiency in the non-hypothyroidism stage and its effect on serum inflammatory factors.

METHODS A total of 74 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis of liver depression and spleen deficiency type in the non-hypothyroidism stage who were treated in Putuo District Central Hospital in Shanghai from June to August 2024 were selected and randomly divided into the observation group and the control group with 37 cases in each group (2 cases dropped out in each group). The control group was treated with oral selenium yeast tablets, and the observation group was treated with Shaoqi Yijia Prescription, both for 12 weeks. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome scores, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and fatigue self-assessment scale (FSAS) scores were evaluated before and after treatment; the thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and serum inflammatory factors interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ levels were detected before and after treatment in the two groups of patients.

RESULTS After treatment, the total score of TCM syndrome and the scores of epigastric or hypochondrium pain, abdominal distension, poor appetite, depression or irritability, and frequent sighs in the observation group were significantly reduced (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the total score of the observation group was better than that of the control group (P < 0.01); after treatment, the serum TPOAb level of the observation group was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), the serum TPOAb level of the control group did not change significantly (P>0.05), and the serum TgAb and TPOAb levels of the observation group were better than those of the control group (P < 0.05); after treatment, the HAMA and HAMD scores of the observation group were significantly reduced (P < 0.01), and the HAMA, HAMD and FSAS scores of the observation group were better than those of the control group (P < 0.05); after treatment, the serum IL-4 and IL-10 levels of the observation group were increased (P < 0.05), and the IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α levels were decreased compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05). The serum IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 levels of the observation group were significantly different from those of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION Shaoqi Yijia Prescription can alleviate the clinical symptoms of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis of liver depression and spleen deficiency type in the non-hypothyroid period, and improve anxiety and depression, which may be related to improving the body's inflammatory response.