Comparative study of the inflammatory factor in patients with COPD in different traditional Chinese medicine syndrome / 中国医师杂志

Objective:The changes of serum inflammatory factors in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome types were compared, and the characteristics and significance of inflammatory factors in COPD were discussed from the perspective of traditional Chinese and western medicine.Methods:A total of 100 patients with COPD who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from September 2021 to September 2022 were selected and divided into phlegm turbation obstructing lung group ( n=50) and lung and kidney qi deficiency group ( n=50) according to TCM syndrome types. Twenty healthy subjects in the same period were selected as control group. Serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and other inflammatory factors were compared in each group. Results:The MCP-1, IL-6, ESR, CRP, white blood cell count (WBC) and procalcitonin (PCT) of COPD patients in phlegm turbation obstructing lung group were significantly higher than those in lung and kidney qi deficiency group (all P<0.05). The WBC, MCP-1, MIP-1α, IL-6, ESR and CRP of COPD patients in the lung and kidney qi deficiency group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). In the phlegm turbation obstructing lung group, the MIP-1α, MCP-1, IL-6, ESR, CRP, WBC, and PCT were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Patients with COPD have inflammatory reactions, and the inflammatory reactions of patients with phlegm turbation obstructing lung syndrome are more obvious than those with lung and kidney qi deficiency syndrome. The inflammatory factors MCP-1, MIP-1α, IL-6, ESR, CRP, WBC, PCT and other indicators could be used to judge the degree of COPD inflammation, which had certain clinical guiding significance for different syndrome types of COPD patients.

Syndrome Distribution and Characteristics of Endometriosis in 1 895 Cases / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the distribution and characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes in patients with endometriosis （EMS）. MethodA cross-sectional survey was conducted to analyze the characteristics of TCM syndromes in 1 895 cases of EMS in hospitals of 19 provinces， autonomous regions， and municipalities. ResultAmong the 1 895 patients， Qistagnation and blood stasis syndrome accounted for the highest proportion， followed by Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome， cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome， and kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome. The distribution of TCM syndrome types of patients with EMS in different regions， different treatment stages， and different disease types and with different therapeutic goals was different， and the differences were statistically significant. However， under different conditions， the Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome accounted for the highest proportion. Under the stratification of different regions， the cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome in north China was relatively high， the kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in south China was relatively high， and the combined phlegm and stasis syndrome was relatively high in southwest China. Different diagnosis and treatment goals corresponded to different clinical syndromes. With pelvic pain as the main manifestation， the proportion of cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome was higher. The proportion of kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome was higher in married patients with infertility. Patients with the main diagnosis and treatment goals of controlling mass and inhibiting recurrence had a higher proportion of Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome. In different treatment stages， the proportion of Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in postoperative patients and those with recurrent EMS was higher. Among different disease types， the Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome accounted for a higher proportion in patients with ovarian endometriosis （OEM）. The cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome accounted for a higher proportion in patients with deep invasive endometriosis （DIE）. The kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome accounted for a higher proportion in patients with peritoneal EMS. There were significant differences in age， body mass index （BMI）， and course of disease among patients with different syndromes. Patients with Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome was relatively older， and their course of the disease was relatively long. Patients with combined phlegm and stasis syndrome had relatively high BMI. There was no significant difference in CA125 and CA199 levels among all syndrome types. ConclusionThe distribution of TCM syndromes of EMS has a certain regularity， and there are differences in regional distribution， therapeutic goals， treatment stages， and disease types（P<0.05）. However， the Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome accounts for a large proportion under different conditions， suggesting that Qi stagnation is the key link of EMS. In the early stage， the team took relieving depression and activating blood as the primary treatment， and created Huoxue Xiaoyi prescription， which was the core prescription for the treatment of EMS with Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome， achieving good clinical effect. At the same time， it is emphasized that EMS treatment should be integrated into the concept of chronic disease management and combined with health management. Through psychological counseling， cognitive behavior intervention， popular science lectures， and other methods， it is advised to adjust the emotion of patients with EMS， thereby increasing the curative effect. This study is expected to provide references for the clinical treatment of EMS.

Study on the evolution of TCM syndromes of 171 cases of Kawasaki disease under the intervention of gamma globulin therapy based on factor analysis / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To study the evolution of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes of 171 cases of Kawasaki disease (KD) under the intervention of gamma globulin therapy based on factor analysis.Methods:A cross-sectional study. 171 cases of KD children hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology of Guangzhou Women's and Children's Medical Center from July 2019 to December 2020 were collected. All patients were treated with intravenous gamma globulin (2 g/kg) for 1 week. According to the results of the treatment with C-ball, 171 children with C-ball sensitive KD were selected to collect the four diagnostic data, and the representative syndromes of defensive level, qi level, yin level, and nutritive level were observed. Factor analysis was used to analyze the evolution of syndrome in 171 children with KD c-ball sensitivity.Results:The result of factor analysis showed that the KMO statistics of 171 children with c-ball sensitivity before treatment was 0.792, and Bartley test was significant ( P<0.01). 16 common factors were extracted, and 23 syndromes were screened, mainly including defensive level disorder, qi level disorder,nutritive level disorder,yin level disorder, heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome. One week after treatment, the statistic of KMO test was 0.787, and Bartley test was significant ( P<0.01). 9 common factors were extracted, and 10 syndromes were screened, mainly including qi deficiency syndrome, yin deficiency syndrome and blood stasis syndrome. Conclusion:Before treatment, the TCM syndromes in KD C-cell sensitive children are mainly nutritive level disorder, defensive level disorder, qi level disorder yin level disorder, and heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome; after treatment, the main TCM syndromes are mainly qi deficiency syndrome, yin deficiency syndrome and blood stasis syndrome.

Treatment of cancer-related fatigue based on "treating overstrain syndrome with warming methods" / 国际中医中药杂志

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) belongs to the category of "consumptive disease" in TCM, and its occurrence is based on "internal deficiency" of the body causing by the tumor. Its nature is intermingled deficiency and excess. Its pathogenesis is the deficiency of qi, blood, yin and yang and zang-fu viscera dysfunction caused by disorders of "rise and fall of middle qi" and kidney origin depletion. The theory of "treating overstrain syndrome with warming methods" originates from Huang Di Nei Jing, which proposes that warming methods are the basic methods of treating consumptive disease. Therefore, starting from the cause and pathogenesis of CRF, this article sorted out the theoretical origin of "treating overstrain syndrome with warming methods", and discussed the clinical application of warming methods for the treatment of CRF combining with modern clinical research, with the purpose to provide references for clinical practice.

Clinical efficacy of entecavir combined with Biejiajian pills and its influence on TCM syndrome scores during the treatment of chronic hepatitis B with hepatic fibrosis and blood stasis syndrome / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of entecavir combined with Biejiajian pills and its influence on TCM syndrome scores during the treatment of chronic hepatitis B with hepatic fibrosis and blood stasis syndrome by prospective, randomized and controlled study. Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis B with hepatic fibrosis and blood stasis syndrome were selected as the research subjects and randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group. Entecavir plus Biejiajian pills or entecavir plus a simulant of Biejiajian pills were given for 48 weeks. The changes in liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and TCM syndrome scores before and after treatment were compared between the two groups to analyze the correlation. The data between groups were analyzed by t-test/Wilcoxon rank sum test or χ(2) test. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between TCM syndrome scores and LSM values. Results: After 48 weeks of treatment, the LSM values of the two groups were significantly lower than those of the baseline (P < 0.001), liver fibrosis was significantly improved, and the LSM values of the treatment group were lower than those of the control group [(8.67 ± 4.60) kPa and (10.13 ± 4.43) kPa, t = -2.011, P = 0.049]. After 48 weeks of treatment, the TCM syndrome scores of the two groups were significantly reduced compared with the baseline (P < 0.001), and the clinical symptoms were significantly relieved, and the total effective rates of the improvement of the TCM syndrome scores in the two groups were 74.19% and 72.97%, respectively, but the differences between the groups were not statistically significant (χ(2) = 0.013, P = 0.910). Correlation analysis showed that there was no obvious trend between TCM syndrome scores and LSM values. There were no serious adverse reactions associated with the drug during the observation period of this study. Conclusion: Based on antiviral treatment with entecavir, regardless of whether it is combined with the Biejiajian pill, it can effectively reduce the LSM value, improve liver fibrosis, reduce TCM syndrome scores, and alleviate symptoms in patients with chronic hepatitis B with liver fibrosis and blood stasis syndrome. Compared with entecavir alone, the combined Biejia pill has greater efficacy in improving liver fibrosis and a favorable safety profile, meriting its implementation and widespread application.

Efficacy and Mechanism of Chinese Medicinal Compounds and Monomers from Chinese Medicinals against Colorectal Cancer： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Colorectal cancer （CRC） is one of the refractory malignant tumors of the digestive system worldwide. With limitations， the available clinical therapies are usually suspended or show unsatisfactory effect. Therefore， it is urgent to find and develop new candidate drugs specifically targeting the cancer with ideal efficacy， low toxicity， and low cost， and the solutions can be found in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） which has a long history. In TCM， sovereign， ministry， assistant， and guiding medicinals are selected based on the syndrome differentiation， and it has shown remarkable efficacy on CRC in recent years. In particular， Chinese medicinal compounds and monomers from Chinese medicinals which have been applied in clinical settings are advantageous in the treatment of CRCs， as they improve the quality of life， alleviate clinical symptoms and toxic and side effects of chemotherapy， and prolong the survival of patients. Therefore， we retrieved the English and Chinese articles with "CRC"， "TCM"， "compound" and "monomer" as keywords， and summarized the progress in the treatment of CRC with Chinese medicinal compounds and monomers from Chinese medicinals from four aspects of "replenishing Qi and invigorating spleen"， "clearing heat and removing toxin"， "nourishing liver and kidney"， and "tonifying Qi and nourishing blood". However， Chinese medicine features multiple components， multiple targets， and multiple pathways， and in-depth research should be carried out on the application of Chinese medicinal compounds and monomers from Chinese medicinals in the treatment of CRC， in an attempt to minimize the pain and side effects and maximize the therapeutic effect. This study is expected to provide new insight into the treatment of CRC and a reference for further research on the efficacy and mechanism of Chinese medicine.

A Nomogram model for the early warning of essential hypertension risks based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome elements / 数字中医药（英文）

@#[Objective] To construct a Nomogram model for the prediction of essential hypertension (EH) risks with the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements principles in conjunction with cutting-edge biochemical detection technologies. [Methods] A case-control study was conducted, involving 301 patients with essential hypertension in the hypertensive group and 314 without in the control group. Comprehensive data, including the information on the four TCM diagnoses, general data, and blood biochemical indicators of participants in both groups, were collected separately for analysis. The differentiation principles of syndrome elements were used to discern the location and nature of hypertension. One-way analysis was carried out to screen for potential risk factors of the disease. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to identify factors that contribute significantly to the model, and eliminate possible collinearity problems. At last, multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to both screen and quantify independent risk factors essential for the prediction model. The “rms” package in the R Studio was used to construct the Nomogram model, creating line segments of varying lengths based on the contribution of each risk factor to aid in the prediction of risks of hypertension. For internal model validation, the Bootstrap program package was utilized to perform 1000 repetitions of sampling and generate calibration curves. [Results] The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk factors of EH included age, heart rate (HR), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), uric acid (UA) levels, family medical history, sleep patterns (early awakening and light sleep), water intake, and psychological traits (depression and anger). Additionally, TCM syndrome elements such as phlegm, Yin deficiency, and Yang hyperactivity contributed to the risk of EH onset as well. TCM syndrome elements liver, spleen, and kidney were also considered the risk factors of EH. Next, the Nomogram model was constructed using the aforementioned 14 risk predictors, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.868 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 0.840 to 0.895. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were found to be 80.7% and 85.0%, respectively. Internal validation confirmed the model’s robust predictive performance, with aconsistency index (C-index) of 0.879, underscoring the model’s strong predictive ability. [Conclusion] By integrating TCM syndrome elements, the Nomogram model has realized the objective, qualitative, and quantitative selection of early warning factors for developing EH, resulting in the creation of a more comprehensive and precise prediction model for EH risks.

Value of five noninvasive diagnostic methods for liver cirrhosis in diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome types in patients with compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the association of five noninvasive diagnostic methods for liver cirrhosis, i.e., liver stiffness measurement (LSM) on FibroScan, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-platelet ratio (GPR), and red blood cell distribution width-to-platelet ratio (RPR), with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome types in patients with compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 327 patients who were diagnosed with compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis in The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from January 2017 to January 2020, and based on their TCM syndrome type, they were divided into liver depression and spleen deficiency group with 160 patients, liver-gallbladder damp-heat syndrome group with 84 patients, liver-kidney Yin deficiency group with 13 patients, spleen-kidney Yang deficiency group with 5 patients, and blood stasis obstructing the collaterals group with 65 patients. Related data were collected, including clinical data, routine blood test results, liver function, LSM, and color Doppler ultrasound findings of liver, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas. TCM syndrome differentiation was performed, and the models of APRI, FIB-4, GPR, and RPR were established. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t -test was used for further comparison between two groups; the multiple independent samples Kruskal-Wallis H rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups, and the one- way Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA (k-sample) was used for multiple comparison; the binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between TCM syndrome types and non-invasive diagnosis of liver cirrhosis; the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic capability of five noninvasive methods for predicting TCM syndrome type in compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis. Results The logistic regression analysis showed that in the liver-gallbladder damp-heat syndrome group, aspartate aminotransferase OR =1.981, 95% CI : 1.8225-2.139, P < 0.05), and LSM ( OR =2.002, 95% CI : 1.840-2.160, P < 0.05) were influencing factors for compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis; in the liver depression and spleen deficiency group, portal vein width ( OR =4.402, 95% CI : 4.050-4.754, P < 0.05), LSM ( OR =3.901, 95% CI : 3.589-4.213, P < 0.05), APRI ( OR =1.891, 95% CI : 1.740-2.042, P < 0.05), and FIB-4 ( OR =1.845, 95% CI : 1.697-1.993, P < 0.05) were influencing factors for compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis; in the blood stasis obstructing the collaterals group, LSM ( OR =2.465, 95% CI : 2.268-2.662, P < 0.05), APRI ( OR =1.298, 95% CI : 1.194-1.402, P < 0.05), and FIB-4 ( OR =1.849, 95% CI : 1.701-1.997, P < 0.05) were influencing factors for compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis. The ROC curve analysis showed that LSM and RPR had a significantly better diagnostic value than the other methods in evaluating liver-gallbladder damp-heat syndrome, and LSM and FIB-4 had a significantly better diagnostic value than the other methods in evaluating liver depression and spleen deficiency; all five noninvasive diagnostic methods had a good value in evaluating the syndrome of blood stasis obstructing the collaterals. Conclusion The five noninvasive diagnostic methods have their own advantages in evaluating different syndrome types, which provide a reference for the diagnosis of TCM syndrome types in patients with compensated hepatitis B cirrhosis.

Clinical Effect of Mahuang Xixin Fuzitang Combined with Acupuncture and Moxibustion in Treatment of Localized Scleroderma / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of Mahuang Xixin Fuzitang combined with acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of localized scleroderma. MethodA total of 95 patients with localized scleroderma treated in Wuhan No. 1 Hospital from September 2019 to October 2021 were assigned into a control group （47 patients） and an observation group （48 patients） by random number table method. The control group was treated with Centella triterpenes tablets and heparin sodium cream， and the observation group was additionally treated with Mahuang Xixin Fuzitang combined with acupuncture and moxibustion. Both groups were treated for 8 weeks， and the clinical effect was compared between groups. The traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） syndrome score （local skin sclerosis， loss of skin texture， darkening of skin pigment， scaly dry skin， etc.）， serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor （sIL-2R） and tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）， and eosinophil count （EO） were compared between before and after treatment as well as between groups. Additionally， the adverse reactions were recorded. ResultThe observation group had higher total effective rate than the control group ［95.83% （46/48） vs. 82.98% （39/47）， χ2=4.166 4， P<0.05］. Before treatment， the TCM syndrome score， sIL-2R， TNF-α， ESR， and EO showed no significant differences between the two groups. The 8 weeks of treatment improved the TCM syndrome score， sIL-2R， TNF-α， ESR， and EO. Moreover， the observation group was superior to the control group in these indicators （P<0.05）. During the treatment， the observation group showed 1 case of abnormal liver function and 1 case of nausea and vomiting， and the control group had 1 case of nausea and vomiting， 1 case of abnormal renal function， and 1 case of abnormal liver function. The total adverse reactions of the observation group （4.17%） and the control group （6.38%） had no significant difference （χ2=0.233 9， P=0.062 86）. ConclusionMahuang Xixin Fuzitang combined with acupuncture and moxibustion is safe and effective in the treatment of localized scleroderma.

Clinical Effect of Mahuang Xixin Fuzitang Combined with Acupuncture and Moxibustion in Treatment of Localized Scleroderma / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of Mahuang Xixin Fuzitang combined with acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of localized scleroderma. MethodA total of 95 patients with localized scleroderma treated in Wuhan No. 1 Hospital from September 2019 to October 2021 were assigned into a control group （47 patients） and an observation group （48 patients） by random number table method. The control group was treated with Centella triterpenes tablets and heparin sodium cream， and the observation group was additionally treated with Mahuang Xixin Fuzitang combined with acupuncture and moxibustion. Both groups were treated for 8 weeks， and the clinical effect was compared between groups. The traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） syndrome score （local skin sclerosis， loss of skin texture， darkening of skin pigment， scaly dry skin， etc.）， serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor （sIL-2R） and tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）， and eosinophil count （EO） were compared between before and after treatment as well as between groups. Additionally， the adverse reactions were recorded. ResultThe observation group had higher total effective rate than the control group ［95.83% （46/48） vs. 82.98% （39/47）， χ2=4.166 4， P<0.05］. Before treatment， the TCM syndrome score， sIL-2R， TNF-α， ESR， and EO showed no significant differences between the two groups. The 8 weeks of treatment improved the TCM syndrome score， sIL-2R， TNF-α， ESR， and EO. Moreover， the observation group was superior to the control group in these indicators （P<0.05）. During the treatment， the observation group showed 1 case of abnormal liver function and 1 case of nausea and vomiting， and the control group had 1 case of nausea and vomiting， 1 case of abnormal renal function， and 1 case of abnormal liver function. The total adverse reactions of the observation group （4.17%） and the control group （6.38%） had no significant difference （χ2=0.233 9， P=0.062 86）. ConclusionMahuang Xixin Fuzitang combined with acupuncture and moxibustion is safe and effective in the treatment of localized scleroderma.

Clinical study on treatment of senile hypertension with Bushen-Yijing-Tiansui Decoction combined with levoclodipine besylate tablets / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To observe the therapeutic effect of Bushen-Yijing-Tiansui Decoction combined with levoclodipine besylate in the treatment of senile hypertension. Methods:A total of 150 elderly hypertensive patients admitted in our hospital from January 2019 to February 2020 were randomly divided into 2 groups by a random number table method, with 75 in each. Both groups were given basic symptomatic treatment of other comorbidities and concurrent health education. The control group received oral amlodipine besylate tablets, and the observation group received Bushen-Yijing-Tiansui Decoction on the basis of the control group. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The TCM syndromes were scored before and after treatment, manometer was used to measure blood pressure and heart rate, the serum ET-1 level was detected by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), and the nitrate reductase method was used to detect serum NO levels, and adverse events occurred during treatment in the two groups were recorded. Results:The total effective rate of the observation group was 88.0% (66/75), and the control group was 73.3% (55/75), and the comparison difference in 2 groups was statistically significant ( χ2 =5.172, P=0.022). After treatment, the symptom scores of pain, palpitations, constipation, insomina, sore feeling on back and legs of the observation group were signigicantly lower than those in the control group ( t value were 5.814, 10.397, 12.094, 7.019, 6.121, all Ps<0.001). After treatment, heart rate [(79.60 ± 4.80) times/min vs. (84.30 ± 5.40) times/min, t=5.634], SBP [(144.8 ± 7.90) mmHg vs. (150.60 ± 7.90) mmHg, t=4.729], DBP [(78.80 ± 8.20) mmHg vs. (85.20 ± 9.10) mmHg, t=4.525] of the observation group were signigicantly lower than those of the control group ( P<0.01). After treatment, the serum ET-1 [(179.25 ± 30.45) μmol/L vs. (190.83 ± 30.89) μmol/L, t=2.312] of the observation group was signigicantly lower than that of the control group ( P<0.05), NO [(58.51 ± 8.78) μmol/L vs. (54.12 ± 9.03) μmol/L, t=3.019] of the observation group was signigicantly higher than that of the control group ( P<0.05). During treatment, the incidence of adverse events in the control group was 4.0% (3/75), and the observation group was 1.3% (1/75), and the two groups had no significant difference ( χ2 =1.027, P=0.311). Conclusion:Bushen-Yijing-Tiansui Decoction combined with levoclodipine besylate in the treatment of senile hypertension can relieve the clinical symptoms and blood pressure of patients, improve the function of vascular endothelial cells.

Distribution Characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes for Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Associated with Ovulatory Dysfunction: A Clinical and Epidemiological Investigation / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the distribution characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes of abnormal uterine bleeding associated with ovulatory dysfunction （AUB-O）. Method:A clinical and epidemiological investigation was conducted in 6 688 patients with AUB-O from the provincial， municipal， and county/district hospitals in 29 provinces， autonomous regions， and municipalities across China to identify the distribution characteristics of their TCM syndromes. Result:The AUB-O patients nationwide were mainly differentiated into the kidney Qi deficiency syndrome （17.34%）， the spleen Qi deficiency syndrome （13.25%）， the Qi and blood deficiency syndrome （12.62%）， the Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome （8.45%）， and the kidney Yin deficiency syndrome （6.88%）. AUB-O resulted from Qi deficiency， Yin deficiency， and blood deficiency， often involving the kidney， spleen and liver. The analysis of the regional distribution of TCM syndromes in AUB-O patients revealed that kidney Qi deficiency， spleen Qi deficiency， and Qi and blood deficiency were the shared syndromes. However， due to regional discrepancy， the TCM syndrome varied widely from one geographic region to another. The kidney Qi deficiency syndrome was more frequently seen in North China， Northwest China， Southwest China， and East China， but less frequently in central China， Northeast China， and South China. The spleen Qi deficiency syndrome occurred most frequently in central China， while the East China had the highest frequency of Qi and blood deficiency syndrome. The spleen and kidney deficiency syndrome was mostly present in central China， North China， and Southwest China， the Qi deficiency （kidney deficiency） and blood stasis syndrome in Northwest China， South China， and North China， the kidney Yin deficiency syndrome in East China， Northwest China， and Northeast China， the deficiency-heat syndrome in Southwest China and East China， the kidney Yang deficiency syndrome in South China， the liver depression and blood heat syndrome in Northeast China， and the liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome in central China. The diagnostic criteria for the kidney Qi deficiency， spleen Qi deficiency， Qi and blood deficiency， Qi deficiency and blood stasis， and kidney Yin deficiency syndromes were not significantly different from the previous ones. The distinctive symptoms for the kidney Qi deficiency syndrome were irregular vaginal bleeding， heavy menstrual flow， or shortened menstrual cycle， back soreness and pain， and forgetfulness， while those for the spleen Qi deficiency syndrome mainly included the shortened menstrual cycle， mental fatigue， lack of strength， poor appetite， loose stool， and white tongue coating. The Qi and blood deficiency syndrome were mainly manifested as the shortness of breath， laziness to speak， pale complexion， dizziness， and palpitation. The Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome were mainly judged by the scanty menstrual flow frequently or occasionally accompanied by blood clots， mental fatigue， lack of strength， and dark purple tongue. The ovulatory bleeding， dizziness， tinnitus， vexing heat in chest， palms and soles， and night sweat were the characteristic signs for the kidney Yin deficiency syndrome. Conclusion:There exist certain rules in the geographical distribution of TCM syndromes of AUB-O patients， which has provided a reference for the clinical treatment of AUB-O in accordance with the local conditions.

Clinical Efficacy of Qinghao Fuzheng Jiedu Decoction in Treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematous / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To study the clinical effect of Qinghao Fuzheng Jiedu decoction on systemic lupus erythematous （SLE）. Method:A total of 109 SLE patients admitted to the Rheumatology and Immunology Department of Wuhan No. 1 Hospital from December 2019 to October 2020 were selected and divided into an observation group （55 cases） and a control group （54 cases） using the random number table. Two cases in the observation group dropped out， leaving a total sample of 53， and one case in the control group dropped out， with 53 cases finally included. Patients in the control group were treated with prednisone tablet and azathioprine. On this basis， those in the observation group further received Qinghao Fuzheng Jiedu decoction. The clinical efficacy， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， TCM syndrome efficacy， immunoglobulin （Ig） G， IgA， IgM， and complements C3 and C4 of the two groups were compared. The conversion of positive antinuclear antibody （ANA） and anti-double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid antibody （DS-DNA） titers to negative in two groups after treatment was analyzed. Result:The total clinical efficacy rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of control group （92.45% vs 73.58%，<italic>χ²</italic>=6.692，<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Before treatment， there were no significant differences in IgG， IgA， IgM， complements C3 and C4， and serum ANA and ds-DNA titers between two groups. After treatment， the levels of IgG， IgA， and IgM and serum ANA and ds-DNA titers in both groups obviously declined， whereas the levels of complements C3 and C4 rose （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Besides， the levels of IgG， IgA， and IgM and serum ANA and ds-DNA titers in the observation group were lower than those in the control group， while the levels of complements C3 and C4 were higher （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The negative rates of ANA and ds-DNA in observation group were significantly higher than those in control group （<italic>χ²</italic>=8.040，<italic>P</italic><0.05）. TCM syndrome scores were decreased in both groups after treatment （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， and the score in observation group was lower than that in control group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. In terms of TCM syndrome efficacy， the total effective rate of observation group was significantly increased as compared with that of the control group （94.34% vs 50.94%，<italic>χ²</italic>=25.112，<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:Qinghao Fuzheng Jiedu decoction is effective in treating SLE and has a certain clinical application value.

Animal model analysis of diabetic lower extremity arterial disease based on clinical symptoms of traditional Chinese and Western medicine / 中国中药杂志

The evaluation standard of LEAD animal model was established according to the understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of diabetic lower extremity vascular disease based on Chinese and Western medicine. The consistency between the existing LEAD animal model and the clinical characteristics of traditional Chinese and Western medicine was analyzed and evaluated. The advantages and disadvantages of the existing model were compared,the application scope of different models was considered,and the possible improvement methods of the existing model were proposed,so as to provide impetus for the improvement of LEAD animal model.We should reflect more characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes in the process of model improvement and development,making the LEAD animal model to get closer to clinical features of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Effect of Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue Decoction combined with Conbercept on DME and its influence on TCM syndromes and serum VEGF expression / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To analyze the effect of Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue Decoction combined with Conbercept on diabetic macular edema(DME), and the influence on TCM syndromes and serum vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)expression. <p>METHODS: Between January 2017 and June 2019, 60 patients admitted to the ophthalmology department at Henan Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were perspective enrolled in the study. They were divided into observation group and control group by random number table method, 30 cases with 30 eyes in each group. The control group were treated with intravitreal injection of Conbercept, while the observation group were treated with Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue Decoction combined with intravitreal injection of Conbercept. Changes in TCM symptom scores, the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT), retinal neovascularization(RNV)fluorescein leakage area under fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA)and VEGF expression were compared between the two groups, and complications were recorded.<p>RESULTS: Three months after treatment, the observation group had lower scores for blurred version, dry eyes, fatigue, soreness and weakness of waist and knees, and thirst than the control group(<i>P</i><0.05). There were statistically significant differences in BCVA between the 2 groups before and after treatment(all <i>P</i><0.01). The observation group had higher BCVA than the control group at 1mo, 3mo and 6mo(<i>P</i><0.05). Differences in CMT between the 2 groups before and after treatment were statistically significant(all <i>P</i><0.01). Besides, the observation group had smaller CMT than the control group at 7d, 14d, 1mo, 3mo and 6mo(<i>P</i><0.05). There were statistically significant differences in RNV between the two groups before and after treatment(all <i>P</i><0.01), and the observation group had smaller RNV than the control group at 7d, 14d, 1mo, 3mo and 6mo(<i>P</i><0.05). Difference in VEGF between the 2 groups before and after treatment were statistically significant(all <i>P</i><0.01). The VEGF expression level was lower in the observation group than in the control group at 7d, 14d, 1mo, 3mo and 6mo(<i>P</i><0.05). No statistically significant difference was found in the incidence of complications between the two groups(7% <i>vs </i>10%, <i>P</i>>0.05).<p>CONCLUSION: Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue Decoction combined with intravitreal injection of Conbercept is more effective than Conbercept alone in the treatment of DME. The former can significantly improve the patient's vision and CMT, reduce leakage area, down regulate the expression of VEGF, and promote the absorption of retinal edema, with good safety.

Research on traditional Chinese medicine syndrome of coronavirus disease 2019 based on expert experience research / 第二军医大学学报

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has played an important role in the frontline of epidemic prevention and control. At present, the theory of COVID-19 in the domestic TCM community is in a state of booming. This article summarizes and analyzes the main viewpoints of the representative TCM experts on COVID-19, such as disease name, disease nature, pathogenesis, treatment principles and methods, and prescriptions. Most experts believe that COVID-19 belongs to the "wet poison epidemic". "Wet poison" is the pathological core of COVID-19, which plays an important role in the pathogenesis. However, some experts have proposed to explore the pathogenesis of COVID-19 from the perspectives of "excessive internal heat", "Qi failing to control body fluid", "warm heat" and so on. In addition, experts also have their own unique opinions on the disease location and the nature of COVID-19, which directly affect the treatment principles and methods and the choice of prescriptions. Based on the current research, we propose that it is necessary to understand the pathogenesis from the occurrence and development of the disease, to distinguish the different pathogenesis from the perspective of "three-cause measures", attach importance to blood stasis in prognosis of the disease, and achieve the unity of subjectivity and objectivity, personalization and standardization in TCM differentiation and treatment.

Clinical efficacy of TCM syndrome differentiation combined with entecavir in chronic hepatitis B patients / 药学实践杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation-based treatment combined with entecavir in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Methods A total of 80 outpatients with chronic hepatitis B were randomly divided into the observation group (n=40) and control group (n=40).The patients in the control group were treated with entecavir tablets. The patients in the observation group were given TCM syndrome differentiation-based treatment in addition to the treatment received by the control group. Clinical symptoms relief, improvement of liver function indexes, serological conversion and HBV-DNA negative rate were compared between the two groups after 48 weeks of treatment. Results The clinical symptoms of abdominal distension, fatigue, pain and anorexia were relieved better in observation group than in control groups. The difference was significant between the two groups (P<0.05). The observation group had significant therapeutic advantages over the ALT recurrence rate compared to the control group, especially 24 weeks ago (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the combined group and the control group after 12, 24, 48 weeks after treatment, and the HBV-DNA (both greater than 0.05) were clinically modified. Conclusion TCM syndrome differentiation-based treatment combined with entecavir had significant therapeutic advantages in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, which could relieve clinical symptoms, improve liver function indexes, and converse serological changes and be worthy of clinical popularization.

Distribution of TCM syndrome types and their correlation semen parameters in infertility patients with varicocele / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To explore the distribution of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome types and their relationship with semen parameters in infertility male patients with varicocele (VC).@*METHODS@#Using Questionnaire on Clinical Symptoms of Varicocele-Caused Male Infertility, we made an investigation among 147 infertility male patients with VC, determined the types of their TCM syndromes, obtained their semen parameters, and analyzed the distribution of the TCM syndrome types and their correlation with semen parameters.@*RESULTS@#Of the TCM syndrome types identified, kidney deficiency and stagnated heat constituted the largest proportion (34.7%), and the mixed type accounted for a significantly higher percentage than the simple type (P < 0.05). The patients with kidney deficiency and stagnated heat, compared with those with other syndrome types, had a dramatically lower sperm concentration (［21.62 ± 9.25］ vs ［28.88 ± 12.92］ ×10⁶/ml, P < 0.01), but a higher percentage of morphologically abnormal sperm (［98.33 ± 0.15］% vs ［96.27 ± 0.18］%, P < 0.05) and DNA fragmentation index (［19.72 ± 3.17］% vs ［10.96 ± 3.82］%, P < 0.01). No statistically significant differences were observed in the percentage of progressively motile sperm among different TCM syndrome types.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Kidney deficiency and stagnated heat is a main TCM syndrome type in infertility male patients with varicocele and correlated with sperm concentration, the percentage of morphologically abnormal sperm and DNA fragmentation index.

Investigation and Analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes with 144 Cases of COVID-19 Patients in Anhui Province / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To analyze the general situation and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome characteristics in patients with coronavirus disease-2019（COVID-19） in Anhui province, and to provide a basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Method:The 144 cases of COVID-19 patients in Anhui province were collected from designated hospitals by means of multi-center cross-sectional epidemiological survey. The TCM syndrome information collection table of patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia was created to collect the general data, etiology and pathogenesis, pulse and signs, syndrome type and frequency statistics of the patients, and then summarize and analyze the main symptoms and syndrome distribution characteristics of patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia. Result:The mean age of 144 patients with COVID-19 infection was （43.54±15.91） years old, and the number of males was larger than the number of females (9/7). The age distribution and gender difference of the patients were statistically significant (P<0.05). 36.11%（52/144） of the patients had a history of travel/residence in Wuhan/Hubei province, and 63.89% (92/144) of the patients had a history of close contact with the confirmed patients. The main clinical manifestations included fever, cough, diarrhea, fatigue and poor tolerance. Light red tongue and red tongue were dominant in tongue quality, with mainly greasy coating, slippery pulse, rapid pulse and soft pulse were the main types of pulse. The main types of syndrome differentiation were the common type (76.38%, 110/144), most of which were demonstrated as dampness obstructing the lung and spleen (56.25%, 81/144). There was no significant difference in gender composition and age distribution between two groups. Conclusion:The pathogenesis of COVID-19 patients in Anhui province is closely related to the lung and spleen, and the dampness caused by pathogen of the epidemic virus is the main pathological factor of disease, which is in line with characteristics of dampness epidemic in TCM, also can see concurrently "heat, poison, stasis" for a characteristic.

Warm acupuncture on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with phlegm-turbid obstructing of the lung: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To verify the effect of warm acupuncture combined with western medicine in patients with acute exacerbation chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) with phlegm-turbid obstructing of the lung.@*METHODS@#Ninety patients with AECOPD were randomly divided into a western medicine group, a warm acupuncture group and a sham acupuncture group, 30 cases in each group. Routine treatment according to the Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) guidelines was used in the western medicine group. On the basis of the routine treatment, the warm acupuncture was applied at Fenglong (ST 40), Feishu (BL 13), Zusanli (ST 36) and other acupoints in the warm acupuncture group. In the sham acupuncture group, non-acupoints were taken on the basis of conventional treatment, and superficial acupuncture was performed for 1-3 mm, once a day for 2 weeks. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, cough and sputum assessment questionnaire (CASA), COPD assessment test (CAT), and the change of TCM syndrome score were observed before and after treatment in all groups.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC in each group were higher than those before treatment (0.05). The CASA score, CAT score and TCM syndrome score in each group were lower than those before treatment (0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Warm acupuncture has a significant effect on the improvement of symptoms in patients with AECOPD with phlegm-turbid obstructing of the lung.