Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42851424›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in immunology2026

Exploring the impact of Chinese medicine on CD4 cell counts in people living with HIV by mixed-effects model: a retrospective cohort study based on propensity score matching.

Runyu Zhu, Yantao Jin, Qiujia Kang, Yanmin Ma, Huangchao Jia, Jun Yuan, Xiuxia Ma, Lihua Chen, Ruohan Sun, Zichen He and 5 more

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Article in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Runyu ZhuDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Yantao JinDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Qiujia KangThe First Clinical Medical School, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Yanmin MaCenter for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China.
Huangchao JiaDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Jun YuanDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Xiuxia MaDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Lihua ChenDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Ruohan SunDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Zichen HeDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Siyu WangDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Juan WangThe First Clinical Medical School, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Liran XuDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Huijun GuoDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
Qianlei XuDepartment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: CD4 cells are the targets of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). If left untreated, HIV enters CD4 cells and replicates, ultimately leading to the death of the infected cells. The loss of these cells impairs immune function. As Chinese medicine (CM) can be used to treat people living with HIV (PLHIV), it is important to explore the long-term effects of CM on the CD4 cell count of PLHIV. Methods: An open-label study was conducted using data from conventional medical records. PLHIV who met the criteria and were treated with CM (CM group) and not treated with CM (non-CM group) were propensity-score matched in a 1:1 ratio and followed for 10 years; their CD4 cell counts were collected at baseline and every year thereafter. Linear mixed-effects models (LMEMs) were used to assess the effects of CM on the CD4 cell count, and subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to provide further insights. Results: A total of 1,908 PLHIV were enrolled in this study. No differences in baseline characteristics were observed between the CM and non-CM groups. Univariate LMEM analysis showed that CD4 cell count increased significantly more in the CM group than in the non-CM group (estimate and 95% CI: 1.33; 0.84-1.81; Conclusions: CM might be associated with maintaining higher CD4 counts on top of existing ART regimens, especially in those with a lower baseline CD4 cell count.

Indexed as

CD4-Positive T-LymphocytesDrugs, Chinese HerbalHIV InfectionsMedicine, Chinese TraditionalAdultCD4 Lymphocyte CountFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPropensity ScoreRetrospective StudiesDrugs, Chinese HerbalCD4 cell countsChinese medicineHIVmixed effect modelreal world study

Identifiers

PMID42851424
PMCPMC13646109

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.