Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Elements Research Articles

Analysis of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome elements and clinical symptoms in prediabetes: A systematic review.

Prediabetes mellitus (PDM) and impaired glucose regulation precedes diabetes and serve as early warning signals. A 2018 Chinese epidemiological survey reported prediabetes at 25.5% prevalence and type 2 diabetes at 10.8%, respectively. Untreated carries one-third of the risk of diabetes progression. This study aimed to understand traditional Chinese medicine syndromes in PDM to guide clinical practice and diabetes prevention. We systematically searched the Chinese and English literature in PubMed, EMBASE, Sinomed, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang until March 31, 2023. We manually explored the Chinese prediabetes literature, trial registrations, and references, adhering to predefined criteria. The results were independently summarized by 2 researchers. Statistical analysis was performed using EXCEL, IBM SPSS 27.0, and IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0, with data mining techniques including association and cluster analysis. Analysis of 23 clinical trials (8943 patients) identified phlegm dampness syndrome as predominant, with qi deficiency, dampness, and phlegm as the principal pathogenic elements. Spleen syndrome elements dominated, with a priori correlation analysis favoring spleen dampness. The prevalent PDM clinical symptoms include amnesia, mental fatigue, limb fatigue, dizziness, and lumbar discomfort. Prediabetes is strongly associated with spleen dampness, highlighting its role. Common traditional Chinese medicine syndrome elements include qi deficiency, phlegm, and dampness. Clinical diagnosis and treatment should prioritize syndrome differentiation and emphasize spleen-focused approaches. Although limited research exists on prediabetes syndromes, further exploration of PDM and spleen dampness is crucial.

Investigation of Insomnia Influencing Factors and Their Relationship with TCM Syndrome Elements in 621 Medical Staff Members

Objectives: Our study examined the incidence of insomnia among Chinese medical professionals, delved into associated factors, and examined its connection with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnostic elements. Methods: Between January 2020 and December 2022, our evaluation included 621 medical personnel, utilizing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Our team gathered data on demographics and occupations to pinpoint potential risks linked to insomnia. Furthermore, the components of TCM syndrome were assessed to understand their correlation with the quality of sleep. Results: Overall, 523 staff were classified as experiencing insomnia (PSQI score ≥ 8). We found statistically significant differences age, professional title, abnormal menstruation, night shift assignment, work intensity, and years of service between insomnia and non-insomnia groups. Logistic regression analysis revealed age over 40, senior professional title, night shift assignment, and high work intensity as risk factors for insomnia, while longer tenure was protective. Insomnia patients predominantly exhibited TCM syndromes such as phlegm-heat internally, heart-fire hyperactivity, and liver-depression fire. Conclusion: Our results reveal a high prevalence of insomnia among medical staff and its association with various demographic and occupational factors. They underscore the relevance of TCM syndrome elements in understanding sleep disorders and suggest personalized interventions targeting specific syndromes. Effective management of insomnia in medical staff is crucial for promoting both individual well-being and patient care quality.

A Nomogram model for the early warning of essential hypertension risks based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome elements

A Nomogram model for the early warning of essential hypertension risks based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome elements

Efficacy evaluation and metabolomics analysis of Huanglian Jiedu decoction in combination with donepezil for Alzheimer's disease treatment

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive disease with continuous brain changes and has caused a severe burden on families and society. Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HLJD) is a classic traditional Chinese medicine formula that can improve AD animals’ cognitive impairment. This study recruited 50 AD patients who were divided into two groups, one receiving donepezil (DON) treatment and the other receiving DON + HLJD treatment for 3 months. The curative effect, inflammatory and oxidative stress levels were analyzed. The PES-D/11, MMSE, and ADL scales were used to evaluate traditional Chinese medicine syndrome elements, cognitive function, mental state, and life ability. There were no significant differences between the two groups in baseline characteristics and vital sign indicators. After drug treatment, the results showed that AD patients with HLJD combined with DON treatment didn’t increase the adverse effects and had good compliance. HLJD combined with DON could improve the disease syndrome, making the differences in PES-D/11, MMSE, and ADL scores before and after the intervention larger. Furthermore, both DON and DON+HLJD treatment inhibited the levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and MDA, raised SOD level, and HLJD enhances the inhibitory effect of DON on inflammation and oxidative stress. IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and MDA levels were significantly correlated with curative effect. Moreover, this study found 107 (206) up-regulated metabolites and 1430 (145) down-regulated metabolites in urine (serum) and conducted differential metabolite screening and correlation analysis suggesting that HLJD may interfere with oxidative stress and inflammation in AD by regulating lipid metabolism and glutamic acid metabolism. Arachidonic acid, diaminopimelic acid, and 1-Aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid may play an important role in HLJD to improve AD.

Traditional chinese medicine pattern classification and herbal medicine for COVID-19: A comparative study of data from different sources

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a crucial role in the prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Objective: The study aimed to reveal the distribution characteristics of COVID-19 TCM syndrome types and syndrome elements and the law of TCM treatment and medication. Methods: The TCM diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID-19 and clinical research data were obtained through network retrieval, and Revman 5.3 and SPSS 23.0 were employed to analyze the composition of TCM syndromes and the situation of TCMs in meta and frequency. Results: The top three TCM syndromes of COVID-19 included damp-heat accumulation in the lung pattern, damp abundance due to spleen deficiency, and epidemic toxin invading the lung pattern, while the syndrome elements were dampness, heat, and toxin. Gypsum fibrosum, Pogostemonis herba, and Armeniacae semen were identified as the commonly used drugs. Different syndrome elements were identified at lung disease location: Forsythiae fructus, Glycyrrhizae radix, and Armeniacae semen can be used for “wind;” Glycyrrhizae radix, Armeniacae semen, and Scutellariae radix can be used for “Heat;” Armeniacae semen, Sheng Gypsum fibrosum, and Ephedrae herba can be used for “Toxin;” Ephedrae herba, Armeniacae semen, and Atractylodis rhizome can be used for “Damp;” Magnoliae officinalis Cortex, Ephedrae herba, and Zingiberis Rhizoma recens can be used for “cold;” and Armeniacae semen, Gypsum fibrosum, Ephedrae herba, and Lepidii/Descurainiae semen can be used for “epidemic.” Conclusion: The establishment of a treatment scheme based on the classification of disease syndrome elements should be considered for sudden infectious diseases, such as COVID-19. Pogostemonis herba, Armeniacae semen, Gypsum fibrosum, and Glycyrrhizae radix should be considered as effective drugs from TCM for the treatment of COVID-19.

Relationship between Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Elements and Prognosis of Patients with IgA Nephropathy.

Objective It is not clear which Traditional Chinese Medicine- (TCM-) related elements affect primary IgA nephropathy (IgAN) progression. Here, we explored the risk factors, based on TCM syndrome elements, related to the prognosis of primary IgAN patients. Methods We analyzed patients with newly diagnosed, biopsy-proven IgAN at a single institution from December 2013 to September 2021. Basic clinical and pathological characteristics were assessed at the time of renal biopsy. The study endpoint was end-stage renal disease (ESRD: eGFR <15 ml/min per 1.73 m2, dialysis, or kidney transplantation) and/or eGFR decreased by >30% from baseline. Kaplan‒Meier survival analysis was used to explore the role of TCM syndrome elements in IgAN progression. Multivariate Cox regression analysis with adjustment for traditional risk factors was performed to explore TCM syndrome elements that may influence patient prognosis. The factors correlated with TCM syndrome elements in IgAN patients were further evaluated by logistic regression analysis. Results During a median follow-up of 22.0 months, 53 (12.5%) of the 423 included IgAN patients reached the study endpoint. The main IgAN disease location elements were the kidney, liver, and spleen. The main IgAN disease nature elements were Yin-deficiency and Qi-deficiency, dampness, Yang-deficiency, phlegm, and Blood-deficiency. Kaplan‒Meier analysis identified three disease locations (liver, spleen, and kidney) and four disease natures (Qi-deficiency, Yang-deficiency, phlegm, and dampness) as elements associated with poor renal survival in IgAN patients. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, baseline Yang-deficiency was an independent risk predictor of poor prognosis in primary IgAN patients (hazard ratio 2.338; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.208–4.525; P=0.012) after adjustment for traditional risk factors. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis identified being female (odds ratio [OR] 2.518; 95% CI: 1.538–4.122; P < 0.001), older age (OR 1.043; 95% CI: 1.022–1.065; P < 0.001), low hemoglobin levels (OR 0.984; 95% CI: 0.971–0.996; P=0.013), and cellular/fibrocellular crescents (OR 1.706; 95% CI: 1.068–2.728; P=0.026) as factors affecting Yang-deficiency in IgAN patients. Conclusions Yang-deficiency independently predicts the risk of poor prognosis in primary IgAN patients. Being female, older age, low hemoglobin levels, and cellular/fibrocellular crescents were independently associated with Yang-deficiency in IgAN patients.

Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of Periprocedural Myocardial Injury in Patients with Elective PCI in a TCM Hospital.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with unstable angina (UA) who received elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospital and to analyze the related risk factors of periprocedural myocardial injury (PMI). Methods On the basis of cross-sectional investigation, the case-control method was adopted. We retrospectively collected clinical data of patients with UA who successfully received elective PCI in Beijing Hospital of TCM from February 2017 to February 2019. Based on the occurrence of PMI, the case-control was formed. The influence of related factors on PMI occurrence was analyzed using the logistic multiple regression equation based on the parameters between the comparison groups. Results 1. Incidence of PMI and related clinical features: Of the 265 UA patients, the incidence of PMI was 26.4%, nearly one quarter (23.4%) had old myocardial infarction, nearly half (45.3%) had previously received coronary intervention. The prevalence of patients with previous hypertension (75.8%), type 2 diabetes (57%), and high-low-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia (69.3%) exceeded 50%, more than 50% of the patients have triple-vessel disease (50.2%). 2. Features of TCM syndrome elements: The main TCM syndromes of the investigated patients are blood stasis syndrome (81.1%) and Qi deficiency syndrome (77.3%), the others include Phlegm turbidity syndrome (53.2%), Yang deficiency syndrome (50.9%), Yin deficiency syndrome (50.1%), Qi stagnation syndrome (30.1%), and coagulated cold syndrome (17.1%). 3. Factors of PMI occurrence: According to the occurrence of PMI, 265 patients were divided into PMI group (n = 70) and non-PMI group (n = 195). The comparison between groups shows that the preoperative SYNTAX score, the number of stents, and the total length of stents of the patients in the PMI group were higher than those in the non-PMI group (P < 0.05); the patients in the PMI group treated by Shen-Yuan-Dan (SYD), a Chinese medicine prescription with Qi-supplementing and blood stasis-purging, were significantly lower than those in the non-PMI group (P < 0.05). Brought these four factors (preoperative SYNTAX score, number of stents implanted, total length of implanted stents, and treated by SYD) into the binary logistic regression equation, those who were only treated by SYD have statistical significance in the equation as a protective factor (OR 0.327, 95% CI 0.117–0.916, P=0.033). Conclusion Patients with UA who received elective PCI in TCM institutions may have clinical characteristics including multiple accompanying diseases and high stenosis coronary artery, in which the incidence of poor blood glucose control and high rate of three-vessel coronary disease are particularly significant. The TCM syndromes are mainly Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndromes. The decrease of PMI may be attributed to the application of SYD in the real world. This trial is registered at ChiCTR2100043465.

Development and validation of the diagnostic scale of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome elements for diabetic kidney disease.

To construct a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements diagnostic scale for diabetic kidney disease (DKD). A total of 492 DKD patients were included in the study. TCM symptoms, signs and tongue manifestation information of the patients were collected, which constituted the items of the TCM syndrome elements diagnostic scale. Frequency dominance method was used to screen the core items. Cluster analysis and factor analysis method were used to identify the syndrome elements. Correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used to determine the syndrome elements. Regression coefficient was used to determine the scale items, and the diagnostic threshold was established by receiver operating characteristic curve. By using the above statistical methods , TCM syndrome elements diagnostic scale was constructed, and confirmed via diagnostic tests of 150 patients. There were 61 items of TCM diagnostic descriptions, and we kept the most useful 32 after filtering. After extracting the syndrome elements, a TCM syndrome elements diagnostic rating scale for DKD containing 9 syndrome elements was constructed, which were qi deficiency syndrome, blood deficiency syndrome, yin deficiency syndrome, yang deficiency syndrome, excessive heat syndrome, qi stagnation syndrome, damp heat syndrome, blood stasis syndrome and phlegm turbidity syndrome. A small-sample clinical validation test of the scale showed sensitivity of 78.8-100%, specificity of 84.3-100%, and accuracy of 82.7-100%. We constructed a TCM syndrome elements diagnostic rating scale for DKD, providing a basis for the standardized study of TCM syndromes.

Combination and distribution characteristics of syndromes related to traditional Chinese medicine in patients with chronic heart failure

Introduction:Chronic heart failure has become one of the main diseases endangering human health in the 21st century. It is characterized by high morbidity and high mortality. With the continuous in-depth study of Traditional Chinese medicine, the treatment of heart failure by Tradional Chinese medicine has made significant progress, especially in improving the clinical symptoms of patients, controlling the development of the disease, and improving the quality of life of patients.Methods/design:This will be a retrospective, single-blind clinical observational study. All participants will receive chronic heart failure routine treatment and care. The researcher will fill in the case information collection form and collect multiple clinical diagnosis and treatment information.Discussion:At present, there is very little research on the elements of chronic heart failure syndrome, and more exploration and excavation in this area are needed. So we designed this program. We aim to explore the distribution characteristics of Traditional Chinese medicine syndrome elements and combinations of chronic heart failure patients, and analyze the relationship between syndrome elements and related influencing factors.Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov,ChiCTR2000034555, Registered on 18 May 2020

A Microcosmic Syndrome Differentiation Model for Metabolic Syndrome with Multilabel Learning.

Background Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a complex multisystem disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is effective in preventing and treating MS. Syndrome differentiation is the basis of TCM treatment, which is composed of location and/or nature syndrome elements. At present, there are still some problems for objective and comprehensive syndrome differentiation in MS. This study mainly proposes a solution to two problems. Firstly, TCM syndromes are concurrent, that is, multiple TCM syndromes may develop in the same patient. Secondly, there is a lack of holistic exploration of the relationship between microscopic indexes, and TCM syndromes. In regard to these two problems, multilabel learning (MLL) method in machine learning can be used to solve them, and a microcosmic syndrome differentiation model can also be built innovatively, which can provide a foundation for the establishment of the next model of multidimensional syndrome differentiation in MS. Methods The standardization scale of TCM four diagnostic information for MS was designed, which was used to obtain the results of TCM diagnosis. The model of microcosmic syndrome differentiation was constructed based on 39 physicochemical indexes by MLL techniques, called ML-kNN. Firstly, the multilabel learning method was compared with three commonly used single learning algorithms. Then, the results from ML-kNN were compared between physicochemical indexes and TCM information. Finally, the influence of the parameter k on the diagnostic model was investigated and the best k value was chosen for TCM diagnosis. Results A total of 698 cases were collected for the modeling of the microcosmic diagnosis of MS. The comprehensive performance of the ML-kNN model worked obviously better than the others, where the average precision of diagnosis was 71.4%. The results from ML-kNN based on physicochemical indexes were similar to the results based on TCM information. On the other hand, the k value had less influence on the prediction results from ML-kNN. Conclusions In the present study, the microcosmic syndrome differentiation model of MS with MLL techniques was good at predicting syndrome elements and could be used to solve the diagnosis problems of multiple labels. Besides, it was suggested that there was a complex correlation between TCM syndrome elements and physicochemical indexes, which worth future investigation to promote the development of objective differentiation of MS.

Real-world evidence study for distribution of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome and its elements on chronic bronchitis in China

Objective: To investigate the distribution and characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes and its elements on chronic bronchitis (CB) based on real-world data (RWD) so as to optimize the treatment strategies. Methods: A real-world study based on 2207 medical records collected from five hospitals in China, to explore the relationship between TCM syndrome and CB using the big data methods. Factor analyses were used to reduce the dimensions of TCM syndrome elements and found common factors. Additionally, cluster analyses were performed to value combinations of TCM syndrome element. Finally, association rule analyses were employed to assess the structures of TCM syndromes elements and estimate the patterns of TCM syndrome. Results: A total of 21 TCM syndromes were extracted from RWD in this work. There were four TCM syndromes consisting of Tan_Zhuo_Zu_Fei, Tan_Re_Yong_Fei, Feng_Han_Xi_Fei, and Feng_Re_Fan_Fei with [Formula: see text]% frequency based on the distribution frequency. The two top Xu TCM syndromes of Fei_Yin_Xu and Fei_Shen_Qi_Xu were identified. The top six pathogenesis TCM syndrome elements were Tan, Huo, Feng, Han, Qi_Xu, and Yin_Xu. Factor analyses, cluster analyses, and association rule analyses demonstrated that Tan, Huo, Feng, Han, Qi-Xu, Yin-Xu, Fei, and Shen were the core TCM syndrome elements. Conclusion: The four common Shi TCM syndromes of Tan_Zhuo_Zu_Fei, Tan_Re_Yong_Fei, Feng_Han_Xi_Fei, and Feng_Re_Fan_Fei for CB were detected in the real world study, and the two Xu TCM syndromes of Fei_Yin_Xu and Fei_Shen_Qi_Xu were identified. The Mix TCM syndrome of Fei_Pi_Qi_Xu_Tan_Shi_Yun_Fei was the main syndrome. The core TCM syndrome elements of Tan, Huo, Feng, Han, Qi_Xu, and Yin_Xu, Fei, and Shen were determined in the entire sample.

Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome elements of male infertility revealed by latent tree model analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the features of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes in male infertility using computer-based analyses. METHODSLatent class analysis was used to analyze the TCM syndrome data from 813 patients with male infertility and establish a latent tree model. RESULTSA latent tree model with a Bayesian information criterion score of – 11 263 was created. This model revealed that the characteristics of basic TCM syndromes in patients with male infertility were kidney Yang deficiency, kidney Qi deficiency, spleen Yang deficiency, liver Qi stagnation, Qi stagnation and blood stasis, and dump-heat; moreover, most patients with male infertility had complex syndromes (spleen-kidney Yang deficiency and liver Qi stagnation) rather than simple single syndromes. CONCLUSIONThe hidden tree model analysis revealed the objective and quantitative complex relationships between the TCM symptoms of male infertility, and obtained the quantification and objective evidence of TCM syndromes in male infertility.

The Causality Research between Syndrome Elements by Attribute Topology.

Background The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an empirical medical system and has its own diagnosis and treatment method. The syndrome elements are atoms to modern TCM diagnosis proposed by Professor Zhu Wenfeng. Researching and analyzing the syndrome element system is one of the active issues for TCM research. At present, most related researches focus on the correlativity and hierarchical relationship of the diseases and symptoms, but the causality researches between syndrome elements themselves have not been reported so far. Methods To explore the causality between syndrome elements, a method named causality by attribute topology (CAT) is proposed. Based on the subordinate relations in attribute topology, the inference method analyzes and reasons the dependency relationship between the sets of objects which contain attributes. Through the removal of attributes in the attribute topology, the formal context is updated constantly. Thus, the causal relationship among the attributes is deduced. In this method, 500 records are mathematically transferred to a binary context for syndrome element analysis. Through the analysis and verification of the potential causal relationship between the syndrome elements, knowledge discovery of the diagnostic data of traditional Chinese medicine based on attribute topology structure diagram is conducted. Results This paper has verified the causal transformation between these syndrome elements. The experimental results between the female group data and the male group data show that different genders have different characteristics and relations of syndrome elements. The experimental results are basically consistent with the traditional Chinese medicine theory. Conclusion The experiment shows that causality by attribute topology (CAT) is feasible to describe the causality between TCM syndrome elements. Further research on possible knowledge discovery in TCM diagnostic data should be conducted through the analysis of the potential causal relationship between TCM diagnostic data and each syndrome element.

A Real‐World Evidence Study for Distribution of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome and Its Elements on Respiratory Disease

Background This study aimed to investigate the distribution and characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome and its elements on respiratory diseases (RDs) based on real-world data (RWD). Methods A real-world study was performed to explore the relationships among TCM syndrome and RDs based on electronic medical information. A total of 26,074 medical records with complete data were available for data analysis. Factor analyses were used to reduce dimensions of TCM syndrome elements and detect common factors. Additionally, cluster analyses were employed to assess combinations of TCM syndrome elements. Finally, association rule analyses were performed to investigate the structures of TCM syndrome elements to estimate the patterns of TCM syndrome. Results A total of 27 TCM syndromes were extracted from RWD in this work. There were four TCM syndromes with >5.0% frequency based on the distribution frequency. The top five pathogenesis TCM syndrome elements were Tan, Huo, Feng, Qi_Xu, and Han. Factor analysis, cluster analysis, and association rule analysis demonstrated that Tan, Huo, Feng, Qi_Xu, Shen, and Fei were the core TCM syndrome elements. Conclusion Four common Shi TCM syndromes on RDs were identified: Tan_Re_Yong_Fei, Tan_Zhuo_Zu_Fei, Feng_Re_Fan_Fei, and Feng_Han_Xi_Fei; two core common Xu TCM syndromes (Fei_Shen_Qi_Xu and Fei_Yin_Xu) and two core common Mix TCM syndromes (Fei_Pi_Qi_Xu-Tan_Shi_Yun_Fei and Fei_Shen_Qi_Xu-Tan_Yu_Zu_Fei) were also determined. The core TCM syndrome elements of Tan, Huo, Feng, Qi_Xu, Shen, and Fei were identified in this work.

A Chinese cohort study on Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis: Design and methods

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a kind of allergic systemic necrotizing vasculitis. The incidence of renal involvement is 30%–50% in HSP patients. A recent national survey demonstrated that the treatment results of several randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies on Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) using Western medicine, such as glucocorticoids, immunosuppressive agents, and supportive therapy, were not satisfactory. Hence, there is a need to explore traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements and its related factors of HSPN in the real world to observe the clinical curative effect of TCM treatment. The Chinese Cohort Study of HSPN is the first national HSPN cohort in China. This study will enroll approximately 350 HSPN patients who are within 14–74 years old and will be followed up for 24 months. Questionnaires, body measurement, laboratory tests, and biomaterials will be collected at baseline, quarterly, and annually. The principal clinical outcomes of the study will include the summing up of TCM syndrome elements and its related factors of HSPN. At the same time, the clinical effect of TCM in alleviating the clinical uncomfortable symptoms of HSPN, proteinuria, and renal function will be observed and confirmed. This study will provide important evidences for the constitution and clinical effect of TCM syndrome elements and lay a foundation for further conducting RCT clinical research on the treatment of HSPN by TCM. At the same time, this will provide valuable information to establish clinical guidelines and healthcare policies for TCM treatment of HSPN in China.

Analysis of TCM syndrome elements and relevant factors for senile diabetes

ObjectiveTo explore the laws governing the distribution of TCM syndrome elements (SEs) of senile diabetes (SD) and their relationship to relevant factors. MethodAn investigation of patients who met the inclusion criteria was conducted by trained doctors, using case report forms. All related data were collected, including body mass index (BMI =body weight [kg]/height2 [m]), glycated hemoglobin, illness course, complications, symptoms, and tongue and pulse manifestation. The SEs of each patient were judged by three qualified associate chief physicians independently. ResultThe main SEs of SD are Yin deficiency, Qi deficiency, blood stasis, and phlegm turbidity. Yin deficiency, Qi deficiency, blood stasis, and phlegm turbidity are most commonly seen among 4-SE combinations. Yang deficiency is typically related to illness course and BMI, phlegm turbidity to hypertension and hyperlipidemia, excessive heat to diabetic microangiopathy, and blood stasis to illness course and diabetic macroangiopathy. ConclusionSD pathogenesis has a deficiency in origin and excess in superficiality. Deficiency syndrome mainly manifests as deficiency of both Qi and Yin, and concurrently in Yang deficiency. Excess syndrome is characterized by blood stasis and phlegm turbidity. SE analysis provides a basis for the prevention and treatment of SD with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and lays the foundation for objectively evaluating multicentric clinical research for SD in TCM.

Weighting coefficients of symptoms and signs in the diagnosis of corresponding TCM syndrome elements of ulcerative colitis based on expert questionnaire investigation

To define the weighting coefficients of the symptoms and signs in the diagnosis of corresponding traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements of ulcerative colitis based on expert questionnaire investigation. The questionnaire included eight syndrome elements of location and 11 syndrome elements relating to disease characteristics. Experts who answered the questionnaire were titled as associate chief physician or above, and had been practicing as professionals in general practice of medicine of digestive system for a long time. They came from 15 third-grade class-A hospitals (6 provinces and Beijing) in China. The weighting coefficients of the symptoms and signs in the diagnosis of corresponding TCM syndrome elements of ulcerative colitis were identified preliminarily based on consent degree of the experts (mean value and variation coefficient). There were 9, 6, 14, 5, 9, 8, 12 and 2 symptoms and signs corresponding to 8 TCM syndrome elements related to disease location and the ranges of weighting coefficients were listed as follows: liver, from 7.49 to 4.18; heart, from 6.90 to 5.51; spleen, from 7.96 to 5.55; lung, from 6.30 to 5.27; kidney, from 7.82 to 5.71; stomach, from 7.53 to 6.15; large intestine, from 8.40 to 6.70; bowel collaterals, from 8.49 to 6.41. Numbers of symptoms and signs corresponding to 11 TCM syndrome elements related to disease nature were 13, 8, 17, 18, 17, 18, 6, 11, 2, 10 and 11 and the ranges of weighting coefficients were listed as follows: qi deficiency, from 7.44 to 5.60; blood deficiency, from 7.90 to 5.59; yin deficiency, from 6.88 to 4.91; yang deficiency, from 7.54 to 5.57; dampness, from 7.91 to 4.96; excess heat (fire), from 7.13 to 5.69; excess cold, from 7.51 to 6.14; qi stagnation, from 7.38 to 5.88; qi sinking, from 7.65 to 7.43; blood stasis, from 7.60 to 5.79; fluid retention, from 7.08 to 4.46. On the basis of previous document research and clinical research in ulcerative colitis, the expert questionnaire can collect consensus opinions of experts. The weighting coefficients of the symptoms and signs in the diagnosis of corresponding TCM syndrome elements of ulcerative colitis are defined preliminarily. Thereby it will lay the foundation for establishing differentiation criteria of ulcerative colitis based on TCM syndrome elements.

A study of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes correlated to neurologic function or to coagulation function in patients with acute cerebral infarction

To investigate the correlations between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements and neurologic function and between them and coagulation function in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI). Two hundred and twenty-three patients with ACI were enrolled. The syndromes of this disease were scored according to Stroke Diagnostic Criteria for Differentiation of Syndromes. Neurologic function deficit score (NDS) was scored according to stroke scale of the National Institutes of Health (NIHSS). The prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and fibrinogen (FIB) contents were detected. The correlations between TCM syndrome elements and NDS and between them and coagulation function were investigated. Two hundred and twenty-three patients with ACI were divided into six syndromes: wind syndrome (n=147, 65.92%), fire syndrome ( n=100, 44.84%), tan syndrome (n=123, 55.16%), blood stasis syndrome (n=78, 34.98%), deficiency of qi syndrome (n=31, 13.90%), and yin deficiency causing hyperactivity of yang syndrome (n=25, 11.21%). The wind, tan and fire syndromes were the main syndrome elements related to ACI. The scores of wind, fire, tan and deficiency of qi syndromes were positively related to NDS (r₁=0.207, P₁=0.002; r₂=0.284, P₂=0.000; r₃=0.245, P₃=0.000; r₄=0.152, P₄=0.023). The score of deficiency of qi syndrome was negatively correlated with PT (r=-0.170, P=0.011); and the scores of tan, blood stasis, and deficiency of qi syndromes were negatively correlated with APTT (r₁=-0.182, P₁=0.006; r₂=-0.148, P₂=0.027; r₃=-0.211, P₃=0.001).Other syndromes were not correlated to NDS or coagulation factors. The neurologic function deficiency due to ACI is more likely influenced by wind, tan, and fire syndromes; deficiency of qi syndrome also has some effects. The syndromes of tan, blood stasis, and deficiency of qi are closely correlated with coagulation function, and their scores may reflect the clotting function in patients with ACI.