Abstract:Objective To explore clinical efficacy of Huoluo Tongbi Pills combined with Methotrexate in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Eighty-five patients with RA admitted to Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2017 to December 2018 were divided into control group (43 cases) and observation group (42 cases) according to the random number table method. Control group was treated with Methotrexate, while observation group was treated with Huoluo Tongbi Pills combined with Methotrexate. Two groups were treated for 12 weeks. Clinical efficacy was evaluated after treatment. The joint swelling number, joint tenderness number, morning stiffness times and hands grip strengths were compared between two groups. The levels of rheumatoid factors (RF), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) of two groups were compared before and after treatment. The adverse reactions of two groups during treatment were compared. Results Total effective rate of observation group was significantly higher than that of control group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). After treatment, the number of joint swelling and joint tenderness in two groups were less than those before treatment, the time of morning stiffness was shorter than that before treatment, and the hand grip strength was higher than that before treatment (P < 0.05); the improvement of the above indexes in observation group was better than that in control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of RF, ESR and CRP in two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05), and those in observation group were lower than those in control group (P < 0.05). The levels of MMP-1 and MMP-3 in two groups after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05), and the level in observation group was significantly lower than that in control group (P < 0.05). During treatment, there was no serious adverse reactions of two groups. Conclusion Huoluo Tongbi Pills combined with Methotrexate in the treatment of RA has a good efficacy, it can improve the clinical symptoms, reduce the serum levels of MMP-1 and MMP-3, and has good safety.