Objective To observe the therapeutic effect and safety of fomentation with promoting blood circulation for removing blood stasis herbs combined with western medicine treating ankylosing spondylitis（AS）in active stage.Methods AS patients in active stage were randomized into western medicine group（41 cases）and Chinese medicine combining with western medicine group（45 cases）.Western medicine group were given leflunomide tablets（orally

20 mg each time

once each day）and diclofenac sodium capsules（orally

50 mg each time

twice each day）.After 1 week

according to disease changes

the medicines were reduced

withdrew or the amount was added temporarily when necessary.Based on western medicine group’s treatment

Chinese medicine combining with western medicine group added fomentation treatment at painful parts with promoting blood circulation for removing blood stasis herbs.Both groups were treated for 3 months.Bath Andylosing Spondylitis Function Index（BASFI）

Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index（BASDAI）

Chinese medicine syndrome scores

Erythrocyte Sedimentation rate（ESR）

C-Reactive Protein（CRP）

quality of life（QOL）score and side effect were compared between both groups before and after treatment.And clinical effect was made evaluated.Results Total effective rate in Chinese medicine combining withwestern medicine group was 93.33%

much higher than that in western medicine group（70.73%

P < 0.05）.After treatment

BASDAI

BASFI

ESR

CRP

QOL score and Chinese medicine syndrome scores in both groups were significantly improved（P < 0.05）.The improvement in Chinese medicine combining with western medicine group was superior to that in western medicine group（P < 0.05）.The difference of side effect in both groups was not significant（P > 0.05）.Conclusion Fomentation with promoting blood circulation for removing blood stasis herbs combined with western medicine treating AS in active stage was effective

and it could improve quality of life and had no obvious side effect.