1. Treatment Group

1. Treatment Group

(1) Conventional Western medication: Vitamin B12 0 mg, Vitamin C 100 mg, Gantailing 100 mg, taken orally three times daily; 500 ml of 10% glucose solution with 10 units of insulin and 1 g of potassium chloride, administered intravenously once daily; diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide, spironolactone, furosemide, albumin, and branched-chain amino acids used as appropriate; antibiotics for infected patients. For upper gastrointestinal bleeding, pituitrin and hemostatic drugs were used; some patients with massive bleeding also received triple-lumen tube compression hemostasis and blood transfusions. For hepatic encephalopathy, standard Western resuscitation protocols were followed.

(2) Traditional Chinese medicine: One dose per day, decocted in water and taken twice daily, morning and evening. The main formula consists of: Dang Gui 10 g, Bai Shao 10 g, Bai Zhu 10 g, Fu Ling 12 g, Chai Hu 10 g, Dan Pi 6 g, Shan Zhi Zi 10 g, Sheng Di 12 g, Huang Qi 30 g, Huang Jing 20 g, Dan Shen 30 g, Bie Jia 15 g, Tu Bie Chong 10 g.

Medication adjustments: For jaundice, add Yin Chen, Da Huang, Bai Hua She She Cao, and Ban Zhi Lian; for ascites, add Che Qian Zi, Da Fu Pi, Hu Lu Pi, and Han Fang Ji; for hepatosplenomegaly, add Shui Zhi, San Leng, and E Zhu; for pain in both flanks, add Yuan Hu, Chuan Lian Zi, Ru Xiang, and Mo Yao; for esophageal variceal bleeding, add Sheng Da Huang, Huang Lian, and Huang Qin, and for severe hematemesis, add Ban Xia, Sheng Jiang, Sheng Zhe Shi, and Zao Xin Huang Tu; for persistent high fever, add Da Huang, Mang Xiao, Sheng Shi Gao, and Han Shui Shi; for bone-steaming and tidal fever, add Bie Jia, Gui Ban, Yin Chai Hu, Qing Hao, Dan Pi, and Zhi Mu; for dry stools, add Sheng Da Huang, Mang Xiao, and Huo Ma Ren; for inverted albumin-globulin ratio and worsening liver function turbidity, increase the dosage of Huang Qi and Dan Shen (up to 60 g); for elevated transaminases, add Gong Ying, Bai Jiang, Bai Hua She She Cao, Hu Zhang, and Ban Zhi Lian; for thick yellow coating on the tongue, add Huang Lian, Huang Qin, and Huang Bai; for a dark red, smooth tongue without coating, add Bei Sha Shen, Mai Dong, and Wu Wei Zi.