Objective  To investigate the efficacy of Jinlianhua Granule combined with cefixime granule in the treatment of children with acute respiratory tract infection.

  Methods  A total of 84 children with acute respiratory tract infection were randomly divided into group A and group B, with 42 cases in each group. Group A was treated with routine cephalosporin antibiotics (cefixime granules), while group B was treated with Jinlianhua Granule on the basis of group A. The disappearance time of clinical symptoms and signs such as fever, cough, sputum, dyspnea, nasal obstruction and lung moist rale were observed in both groups. The levels of serum inflammatory factors such as interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy and safety were evaluated.

  Results  All the children successfully completed the treatment. The disappearance time of fever, cough and sputum in group B was significantly shorter than that in group A (P < 0.05). The levels of serum inflammatory factors such as IL-8, TNF-α, PCT and CRP in group B were significantly lower than those in group A (P < 0.05). The total clinical effective rate was 100.00% in group B, which was significantly higher than 88.10% in group A (P < 0.05). The rates of adverse reaction in group A and group B were 9.52% and 4.76% respectively, which showed no significant difference between two groups (P>0.05).

  Conclusion  Jinlianhua Granule combined with cefixime granule can effectively alleviate the symptoms and signs of children with acute respiratory tract infection and inhibit the inflammatory reaction in vivo.