Abstract: Objective To explore the effect of Yiqi Jiedu Huayu compound combined with antiviral therapy on peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and inflammatory cytokines in patients with refractory chronic hepatitis C （CHC）. Methods 84 patients with refractory CHC between March 2013 and February 2015 were recruited in this study and they were randomly divided into observation group and control group with 42 cases in each. Patients in control group were given polyethylene glycol interferon combined with ribavirin as antiviral therapy，while patients in observation group received Yiqi Jiedu Huayu compound at the base of antiviral therapy. All patients were followed up for 6 months，and clinical efficacy，peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets，inflammatory cytokines were observed and compared between the two groups. Results At the end of 6-month treatment，the total effective rates and negative conversion rates of HCV RNA in observation group were 81.0% and 14.3%，significantly higher than those in control group（57.1% and 2.4%，respectively，P<0.05 for both）；Patients in observation group had higher percentage of CD3+cells，CD4+cells and the ratio of CD4/CD8，but lower percentage of CD8+ cells than patients in control group [（69.3±6.1）% vs.（62.5±5.5）%，（36.4±4.2）% vs. （30.2±3.6）%，（1.4±0.4） vs. （1.1±0.4） and （25.4±2.5）% vs. （26.9±3.5）%，respectively，P<0.05 for all]；Serum levels of L-selectin，soluble intercellular adhesion molecule，interlukin-6 and TNF-α in observation group were lower than those in control group [（886.2±154.5） ng/ml vs. （1268.9±235.8） ng/ml，（258.7±65.4） ng/ml vs. （379.6±80.3） ng/ml，（88.7±11.6） pg/ml vs. （121.6±14.2） pg/ml，（1.3±0.5） ng/ml vs. （1.6±0.5） ng/ml，respectively，P<0.05 for all]；The patients in observation group had higher white blood cell and platelet counts than in control group（P<0.05）. Conclusion Yiqi Jiedu Huayu compound combined with antiviral therapy is able to attenuate the inflammatory reactions，modulate lymphocyte subset disorders，reduce bone marrow suppression，and improve the clinical efficacy in patients with refractory CHC.

Key words: Chronic hepatitis C, Yiqi Jiedu Huayu compound, Interferon-α, Lymphocyte subsets, Inflammatory cytokines