[Tongue tip microcirculation in patients with different symptoms]

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Microcirculation Research
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Context:

• Tongue diagnosis is a key component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for assessing patient health.
• Microcirculation plays a vital role in physiological and pathological processes.
• Understanding microcirculatory changes in the tongue may offer objective markers for TCM pattern differentiation.

Purpose:

• To investigate and quantify alterations in tongue tip microcirculation across different TCM symptom complex groups.
• To correlate specific microcirculatory indicators with established TCM diagnostic patterns.
• To explore the relationship between tongue microcirculation and observable tongue features.

Summary:

• This study analyzed tongue tip microcirculation in 104 patients across five TCM symptom groups (Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, Qi.blood deficiency, Qi stagnation-blood stasis, damp-heat) and 100 healthy individuals.
• Ten microcirculatory indicators were assessed, revealing varying degrees of dysfunction in all patient groups.
• The Qi stagnation-blood stasis group displayed the most pronounced abnormalities, with all ten indicators affected, followed by Yang deficiency (9 indicators), Yin deficiency and Qi.blood deficiency (8 indicators each), and damp-heat (7 indicators).

Impact:

• Provides objective, quantitative data supporting TCM tongue diagnosis.
• Highlights Qi stagnation-blood stasis as a pattern significantly associated with microcirculatory impairment.
• Suggests potential for microcirculation assessment as an adjunct diagnostic tool in TCM practice.