OBJECTIVETo analyze the differences in the Chinese medicine (CM) etiology and pathogenesis of AIDS.

METHODSA cross-sectional investigation study of AIDS patients and non-infected people was carried out in Henan, Guangdong and Xinjiang provinces respectively by questionnaire of clinical epidemiology and analyzed with frequencies of symptoms and signs combined with syndrome factors. The distribution differences of syndrome factors in the 3 provinces were compared.

RESULTSTotally 321 cases were investigated in the 3 provinces. As for the syndrome factors of AIDS, qi deficiency, blood deficiency, yin deficiency, yang deficiency, dampness evil, phlegm, qi stagnation, essence deficiency, and so on were dominated in the 3 provinces, but with their own features. For example, the scores of dampness evil were higher in Guangdong Province. Yin deficiency was dominated in Xinjiang Province. The scores of Henan Province were generally higher. As for the location of syndrome factors, Shen, Fei, Pi, and Gan were dominated in the 3 provinces. The score of Pi was the highest in Guangdong Province, while the score of Shen was the highest in Henan and Xinjiang provinces.

CONCLUSIONSAIDS has regional features in the nature and the syndrome factors of location in different provinces. It is necessary to take into consideration the regional factors when analyzing the pathogenesis of AIDS.