Relationships between Pathological Patterns and Quality of Life: Pathway Analysis

Shin-Woong Cho,Sang-Chul Lee,Young-Bae Park,Hwan-Sup Oh,Jaemin Ryu,Young-Jae Park

doi:10.1155/2013/453096

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of our study was to examine the relationships between pathological patterns and self-rated quality of life (QoL). Methods. A total of 426 Korean subjects participated in this study (male : female = 154 : 272). The subjects were asked to complete Yin Deficiency (YD), Qi Deficiency (QD), Food Stagnation (FS), Blood Stasis (BS), Phlegm, and Seven Emotions Impairment (SEI) pattern Questionnaires and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). We formed a pathway model consisting of pathological patterns and QoL questionnaire scores and examined which pathological patterns resulted in decreased QoL using path analysis. Results. Our pathway model had satisfactory fitness levels (GFI = 0.975, NFI = 0.984, and CFI = 0.984) and showed that Phlegm and SEI patterns directly resulted in decreased QoL, whereas QD, YD, FD, and BS indirectly resulted in decreased QoL. The pathway model suggested that the severity or stage of decreased QoL may be estimated by pathological patterns: QD and YD patterns are associated with the early stage; FS and BS patterns are associated with the middle stage; Phlegm and SEI are associated with the later stage of decreased QoL. Conclusion. Our results suggest that pathological patterns directly or indirectly affect decreases in QoL.

Highlights

In East Asian medicine (EAM), the notion of pathological patterns refers to the cause, nature, and location of pathogens at a certain stage of disease or condition of healthy Qi, Blood, Yin, or Yang affected by those pathogens [1]
Three fitness indices showed that our research model possessed a satisfactory model-to-data fitness level (GFI = 0.975, Normed Fit Index (NFI) = 0.984, and Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.984)
We hypothesized that pathological patterns would affect decreases in quality of life (QoL), and we formed a pathway model according to the EAM theory

Summary

Introduction

In East Asian medicine (EAM), the notion of pathological patterns refers to the cause, nature, and location of pathogens at a certain stage of disease or condition of healthy Qi, Blood, Yin, or Yang affected by those pathogens [1]. In addition to being used for diagnostic purposes, pattern diagnosis guides the practitioner toward a treatment principle, whereby specific acupoints and herbal formulae are selected for treatment, using a holistic approach [2]. According to the results of pattern diagnosis, specific treatments can be prescribed to maximize effectiveness [3,4,5]. Self-reported symptoms are the main clues used for determining pathological patterns. A few pathological pattern questionnaires including the Yin Deficiency Questionnaire (YDQ) [6], Qi Deficiency Questionnaire (QDQ) [7], Food Stagnation Questionnaire (FSQ) [8], Blood Stasis Questionnaire (BSQ) [9], Phlegm Pattern Questionnaire (PPQ) [10], and Seven Emotions Impairment Questionnaire (SEIQ) [11] were developed based on self-reported symptoms

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion