This study was aimed to explore an effect evaluation method of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of viral pneumonia. Association rules were used to analyze the therapeutic effect of heat, stagnation, and phlegm related syndromes from 297 respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pneumonia children before and after treatment. The results showed that through the comparison of the frequent itemset of heat, stagnation, and phlegm related syn-dromes, in part of the time, the support degree of the experimental group was obviously lower than that in the con-trol group (P < 0.05). The frequent itemset of the experimental group disappeared 1~3 d earlier than the control group, which indicated the effect in the experimental group was better than the control group. It was concluded that association rules can be used for evaluating therapeutic effect of TCM in treatment of viral pneumonia. The effect evaluation method based on association rules of symptoms is more in line with the syndrome differentiation of TCM.

Objective:To analyze the clinical value of serum 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in the diagnosis of COVID-19.Methods:A total of 116 patients diagnosed with NCP in the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine and the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University were enrolled from January to February 2020 as the disease group. A total of 134 cases, including 84 non-NCP inpatients and 50 healthy individuals served as the control group. Serum samples from all subjects were collected. A fully-automated chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer was used to detect the concentration of 2019-nCoV IgM and IgG antibodies in serum. The sensitivity and specificity of the 2019-nCoV IgM and IgG antibody single test and combined detection were compared using the χ 2 test. χ 2 test and Wilcoxon′s rank sum test were used to compare the positive rates and concentrations of IgM and IgG antibodies in NCP patients before and after their 2019-nCoV nucleic acid tests turning negative, respectively. The change trend of 2019-nCoV antibody concentration in the process of NCP patients was analyzed by Wilcoxon′s rank sum test. Results:The sensitivity of 2019-nCoV IgG (90.5%, 105/116) was higher than that of 2019-nCoV IgM (75.9%, 88/116), the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=8.91, P<0.05); The specificity of 2019-nCoV IgG (99.3%,133/134) was higher than that of 2019-nCoV IgM (94.0%, 126/134), the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=5.63, P<0.05). The sensitivity (89.7%,87/97) of 2019-nCoV IgM combined with IgG was higher than that of 2019-nCoV IgM, the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=6.89, P<0.05). The specificity (100%, 125/125) of 2019-nCoV IgM combined with IgG was higher than that of 2019-nCoV IgM, the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=7.70, P<0.05). After 2019-nCoV nucleic acid test converted to negative, the positive rate (9/17) and concentration [13.0 (4.9, 24.7) AU/ml] of serum 2019-nCoV IgM antibody were significantly lower than those when the nucleic acid test was positive, positive rate (15/17) and concentration [29.5 (14.0, 61.3) AU/ml], respectively (χ 2=5.10, Z=-3.195, both P<0.05). In the course of NCP, patients′ serum samples were collected from the first day of diagnosis to every three days, three times in total. The first 2019-nCoV IgM and IgG antibody concentrations [19.4 (12.4, 63.7) AU/ml, 105.8 (74.8, 126.1) AU/ml, respectively] were significantly higher than the second concentrations [15.8 (7.1, 40.3)AU/ml, 80.5 (66.7, 105.9) AU/ml], Z were-2.897,-3.179, both P<0.05. Conclusions:2019-nCoV IgG antibody has a good application value in the diagnosis of NCP. The concentration of 2019-nCoV IgM antibody has a certain correlation with the detection of 2019-nCoV nucleic acid. The combination of 2019-nCoV IgM and IgG antibodies with 2019-nCoV nucleic acid test may be the best laboratory index for the diagnosis of NCP at present.