Objective  To investigate the efficacy and safety of treating refractory chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (RCIT) with San Wei Sheng Huo Decoction (SWSHD) as the main formula.

  Methods  A retrospective study was conducted and the data of RCIT patients treated with SWSHD as the main formula were collected. Changes in peripheral blood platelet (PLT) levels at different time points of treatment were examined and the significant effective rate (SER) and effective rate (ER) were analyzed. We measured the increase in peripheral blood PLT count before and after treatment, analyzed the differences in PLT count increase for different degrees of RCIT treatment, and evaluated the safety of the treatment.

  Results  A total of 35 cases of RCIT were included in the study. With SWSHD as the main treatment formula, the 2-week ER and SER were 74.29% and 14.29%, respectively, the 2-month ER and SER were 84.38% and 60.50, respectively, and the 1-year ER and SER were 92.31% and 80.77%, respectively. PLT count increased at all time points after treatment compared with that before treatment (P<0.01). Subgroup analysis showed that, 2 months after treatment started, peripheral blood PLT counts increased by as much as 51.02×10⁹ L^－1 in the severe RCIT group, higher than that of the moderate RCIT group at 36.58×10⁹ L^－1 (P<0.05), and the difference persisted until 1 year after the treatment. No obvious traditional Chinese medicine-related adverse reaction was observed during the treatment.

  Conclusion  SWSHD takes effect rapidly and its effect is long-lasting and stable. Furthermore, SWSHD has a more significant effect on severe RCIT.