Clinical Experience of Traumatic Cervical Syndrome Treated with Daisaikoto / 日本東洋医学雑誌

We administered daisaikoto to 13 patients with traumatic cervical syndrome and observed complete responses in the following 2 patients. Patient 1 was a 40-year male. He was in the xiaoyang stage, and showed high abdominal tension and marked chest oppression. These findings were indications for daisaikoto. Patient 2 was a female in her 50 s. She was in the xiaoyang stage, showed moderate abdominal tension and chest oppression, and was aware of chest tension and constipation. Evaluation using the VAS in the 13 patients showed a complete response in 3 patients, partial response in 6, minor response in 1 and no response in 3. To clarify indications for daisaikoto in this disease, findings of Japanese Oriental Medicine in the 13 patients were evaluated. Of 9 patients with high abdominal tension, 8 showed partial or complete responses. Of 4 patients with moderate abdominal tension, a complete response, partial response, and no response were observed in 1, 1, and 2, respectively. In addition, objective abdominal coldness was present in both patients with moderate abdominal tension who showed no response but not in the patient showing a complete response.We confirmed the importance of therapy based on oriental medical syndromes when daisaikoto is used for traumatic cervical syndrome. However, patients with moderate abdominal tension without abdominal coldness can be differentiated from others for this therapy.

Relationship between the Metabolic Syndrome and Abdominal Tension / 日本東洋医学雑誌

Metabolic syndrome develops because of an accumulation of intra-abdominal fat. In Kampo medicine, an abdominal examination is commonly performed for the diagnosis of diseases. Thus, we examined the relationship between metabolic syndrome and abdominal tension. Our subjects were 999 people (619 males and 380 females) who underwent regular physical check-ups. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 14.5% (21.3% of males and 3.4% of females) and the prevalence rate of subjects with metabolic and pre-metabolic syndromes was 40.8% (55.9% of males and 16.3% of females). In addition, abdominal examinations detected 19.1% of hyperfunction, 64.6% of intermediate function, and 16.3% of hypofunction. Almost subjects with abdominal hyperfunction were classified as metabolic or pre-metabolic syndrome, and neither metabolic nor pre-metabolic syndrome was present in subjects with abdominal hypofunction. In conclusion, assessment of abdominal tension may become an additional valuable screening method for metabolic syndrome.

The Correlation Between Abdominal Palpation Signs of Kampo Medicine and Laboratory Data / 日本東洋医学雑誌

There have been few studies on the relationship between the body mass index (BMI), complete blood cell count, blood chemistry, fatty liver evidence and Kampo abdominal palpation signs. This study was designed to clarify the above points. It involved 484 subjects who had undergone full physical examinations. The results of this study, can be summarized as follows:<br>1. Abdominal tension (traditionally referred to as “fukuryoku”) was related to BMI (males and females), TG, TCh/HDL, GPT, RBC, Hb and evidence of fatty liver (males) and corresponded negatively with HDL (males).<br>2. Tonus of the rectus abdominis muscle (“fukuhikokyu”) was negatively related to BMI (males).<br>3. The sound of gurgling liquid in the stomach (“shinsuion”) was negatively related to BMI (males and females).<br>4. Palpitations of the abdominal aorta in the upper abdomen (“shinkaki”) was related toHDL (males) and negatively related to BMI (males and females).<br>5. Palpitation of the abdominal aorta below the navel (“saikaki”) was negatively related to BMI (males).