Objective  To explore the effect of Qingfei Tongfu Decoction on the lung function, score of TCM syndrome and levels of inflammatory factors in patients with severe pneumonia differentiated as syndrome of obstruction of phlegm-heat in lung.

  Methods  Totally 80 patients with severe pneumonia differentiated as syndrome of obstruction of phlegm-heat in lung were randomly divided into control group and observation group, with 40 cases in each group. The control group was treated with conventional treatment, while the observation group was treated with Qingfei Tongfu Decoction on the basis of conventional treatment. The scores of TCM syndromes (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.), lung function indexesforced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), maximum ventilation volume (MVV) per minute and inflammatory factors white blood cell count (WBC), C reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) before and after treatment were compared between the two groups.

  Results  After 2 weeks of treatment, the scores of fever, cough and shortness of breath in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05), and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05). After 2 weeks of treatment, FVC, FEV₁ and MVV of the two groups were significantly higher than those before treatment (P < 0.05), and the observation group was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05). After 2 weeks of treatment, WBC, CRP and IL-6 levels in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05), and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Qingfei Tongfu Decoction is effective in treatment of patients with severe pneumonia differentiated as syndrome of obstruction of phlegm-heat in lung, which can improve the symptoms of patients, inhibit inflammatory response, enhance lung function, and promote rehabilitation of patients.