Table 1. Baseline characteristics of the patients.
| Characteristics | Per-protocol set | |||
| BF tablet group | BY granule group | Placebo group | P-value | |
| n = 82 | n = 89 | n = 91 | ||
| Age(year) | 62.43±9.04 | 61.51±8.79 | 62.68±8.10 | 0.5039 |
| Height(cm) | 165.22±8.13 | 164.45±8.97 | 166.03±8.59 | 0.285 |
| Weight(Kg) | 61.81±9.41 | 60.89±11.45 | 64.49±11.81 | 0.0382 |
| Course of disease(month) | 12.57±8.39 | 12.75±8.95 | 12.43±9.46 | 0.9946 |
| Family history | 0.92 | |||
| Yes | 19(23.17%) | 22(24.72%) | 22(24.18%) | |
| No | 63(76.83%) | 67(75.28%) | 69(75.82%) | |
| Smoking history | 0.122 | |||
| Yes | 27(32.93%) | 41(46.59%) | 36(39.56%) | |
| No | 55(67.07%) | 47(53.41%) | 55(60.44%) | |
| Disease history | 0.145 | |||
| Yes | 25(30.49%) | 18(22.22%) | 32(35.96%) | |
| No | 57(69.51%) | 63(77.78%) | 57(64.04%) | |
| Medical history | 0.981 | |||
| Yes | 40(48.78%) | 42(47.73%) | 45(49.45%) | |
| No | 42(51.22%) | 46(52.27%) | 46(50.55%) | |
| Gender | 0.333 | |||
| Male | 64(78.05%) | 62(69.66%) | 69(75.82%) | |
| Female | 18(21.95%) | 27(30.34%) | 22(24.18%) | |
| Blood pressure | ||||
| Systolic pressure(mm/Hg) | 121.84±10.06 | 122.09±8.10 | 120.88±9.62 | 0.6734 |
| Diastolic pressure | 77.36±5.58 | 76.40±6.00 | 76.40±7.27 | 0.3923 |
| Respiratory times(per minute) | 19.33±2.06 | 18.89±2.26 | 18.78±2.09 | 0.052 |
| Temperature(°C) | 36.64±0.27 | 36.67±0.23 | 36.67±0.25 | 0.7375 |
| Heart rate(per minute) | 79.43±10.78 | 76.82±6.82 | 77.79±8.66 | 0.1248 |
| Chest radiograph | 0.601 | |||
| Normal | 25(32.05%) | 22(25.88%) | 25(29.41%) | |
| Abnormal | 53(67.95%) | 63(74.12%) | 60(70.59%) | |
| Lung function | ||||
| VC(L) | 2.38±0.84 | 2.35±0.76 | 2.44±0.93 | 0.7528 |
| FEV1(%) | 46.65±15.55 | 48.47±15.44 | 46.30±15.14 | 0.5654 |
| FEV1/FVC(%)pre | 50.33±11.15 | 53.77±11.24 | 50.36±10.83 | 0.0898 |
| FEV1/FVC(%)post | 51.38±10.58 | 54.65±13.51 | 51.33±13.76 | 0.2968 |
| PEF(L/S) | 3.30±1.54 | 3.32±1.48 | 3.14±1.57 | 0.854 |
| GOLD Classification by Spirometry | 0.674 | |||
| I(mild) | 1(1.22%) | 0(0.00%) | 2(2.20%) | |
| II(moderate) | 34(41.46%) | 42(47.19%) | 34(37.36%) | |
| III(severe) | 45(54.88%) | 44(49.44%) | 50(54.95%) | |
| IV(very severe) | 2(2.44%) | 3(3.37%) | 5(5.49%) | |
| Differentiation of syndrome of TCM | ||||
| qi deficiency | 0.182 | |||
| Yes | 41(50.00%) | 45(50.56%) | 55(60.44%) | |
| No | 41(50.00%) | 44(49.44%) | 36(39.56%) | |
| kidney qi deficiency | 0.104 | |||
| Yes | 56(68.29%) | 57(64.04%) | 50(54.95%) | |
| No | 26(31.71%) | 32(35.96%) | 41(45.05%) | |
| kidney yang deficiency | 0.35 | |||
| Yes | 17(20.73%) | 27(30.34%) | 25(27.47%) | |
| No | 65(79.27%) | 62(69.66%) | 66(72.53%) | |
| hyperactivity of fire due to yin | ||||
| Yes | 0(0.00%) | 0(0.00%) | 0(0.00%) | |
| No | 82(100.0%) | 89(100.0%) | 91(100.0%) | |
NOTE: There are no significant differences (P>0.05) at the baseline of population (index of population: sex, age, height, weight, course of disease, family history, smoking history, past disease history, past medication history), general physical examination (BP, respiratory times, chest radiograph, temperature, heart rate), syndrome differentiation of TCM, and COPD classification, besides weight (P<0.05 BY group for placebo group).