OBJECTIVETo discuss the relationship between tongue manifestation and the degree of neurological impairment in the patients with acute cerebral infarction.

METHODSTwo hundred patients with first unilateral cerebral infarction were recruited. The relationship between different tongue manifestation and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were analyzed.

RESULTSNIHSS scores in the patients from different tongue color groups were analyzed and further analysis demonstrated that the NIHSS score was higher in the patients with red or bluish-purple tongue than that of those with the pink (P <0.01). On tongue fur, the NIHSS score in the patients with thick fur was higher than that of those with the thin (P=0.003). NIHSS score in patients with slippery, moist or dry fur was significant different (P=0.003), Further analysis demonstrated that the NIHSS score was higher in the patients with dry fur than that of those with moist fur, and had statistical significance (P=0.01). The NIHSS score was higher in patients from greasy fur group than that of the non-greasy (P=0.002). There was significant difference of NHISS score in the patients with different fur color (P=0.000), and further analysis demonstrated that the NHISS score in white-yellow, yellow fur group were higher than that of the white (P=0.06 or 0.000).

CONCLUSIONThe changes of tongue manifestation might be associated with the degree of neurological impairment in the patients with acute cerebral infarction.