# Effectiveness and Safety of Kangjia Decoction Granules for the Treatment of Hashimoto Thyroiditis: Protocol for a Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Clinical Trial

## TL;DR

This study will test if Kangjia Decoction Granules can safely and effectively reduce autoimmune symptoms and improve quality of life in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel clinical trial protocol to evaluate a traditional Chinese medicine compound for Hashimoto thyroiditis.

## Key findings

- The trial will assess changes in antithyroid antibodies and thyroid hormone levels after 3 months of treatment.
- Safety indicators like blood tests and adverse reactions will be closely monitored.
- Results may guide future large-scale trials on traditional Chinese medicine for autoimmune thyroiditis.

## Abstract

Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) is a chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland mediated by autoimmune disorders, often leading to hypothyroidism and a significant reduction in a patient’s quality of life. At the time of this writing, there is a lack of effective clinical treatments for early-stage HT. Kangjia decoction granules (KDGs) were developed based on clinical experience and results analysis, showing promising outcomes in improving antibody levels and quality of life in patients with HT. However, there is a lack of further evaluation of the efficacy and safety of KDGs.

This pilot study aims to further understand and validate the efficacy and safety of KDGs for treating HT through clinical research and comprehensively assess the benefits of this intervention for patients.

This study is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants meeting the HT diagnostic criteria will be randomly allocated to the intervention and control groups (n1=n2=70). The intervention group will receive KDG treatment, whereas the control group will receive a placebo treatment. All participants will undergo treatment for 3 months. Changes in antithyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) levels will be the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include antithyroglobulin antibodies (TGAb), thyrotropin, also known as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroid hormone (T4), serum free triiodothyronine (FT3), serum free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid ultrasonography, IL17 mRNA and FOXP3 mRNA, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome efficacy scores, and quality of life scale scores. Throughout the treatment and follow-up periods, safety indicators, such as routine blood and urine tests, hepatic and renal function, electrocardiography, and major adverse reactions, will be monitored.

The research protocol and informed consent form received approval from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, affiliated with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, on December 14, 2022 (Approval No. 2022-123). Participant recruitment commenced in June 2023. All intervention and concurrent data collection activities were scheduled for completion by October 2025. Data management is still ongoing; therefore, data analysis has not yet been performed.

This study’s findings will offer initial clinical evidence regarding the efficacy of the TCM compound KDGs in modulating peripheral immunity in patients with HT, decreasing autoimmune antibody levels, ameliorating TCM syndromes, and enhancing quality of life. These results will serve as a basis for future large-scale trial designs.

China Clinical Trials Registry ChiCTR2300070184; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojEN.html?proj=189169

DERR1-10.2196/80993