Associations between traditional Chinese medicine constitution and depression/anxiety/sleep disturbances in patients with chronic pain: A cross-sectional study

Shiqi Guo; Cunzhi Liu; Liqiong Wang; Jianfeng Tu; Tie Li; Yong Fu; Zhongyu Zhou; Changchun Ji; Hui Hu; Nana Yang

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Associations between traditional Chinese medicine constitution and depression/anxiety/sleep disturbances in patients with chronic pain: A cross-sectional study

Author: Shiqi Guo ¹ ; Cunzhi Liu ¹ ; Liqiong Wang ¹ ; Jianfeng Tu ¹ ; Tie Li ² ; Yong Fu ³ ; Zhongyu Zhou ⁴ ; Changchun Ji ⁵ ; Hui Hu ⁶ ; Nana Yang ¹
Author Information

1. School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 1002488,China
2. Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine,Changchun,China,130117
3. Acupuncture Rehabilitation Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine,Nanchang,China,330006
4. Department of Acupuncture, Hubei Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Wuhan,China,430061
5. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shaanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Xi'an,China,710003
6. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Dongfang Hospital,Beijing,China,100078
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Chronic pain; Traditional Chinese medicine; Depression; Anxiety; Sleep disturbance
From: Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences 2025;2025(3):328-335
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the composition of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and depression/anxiety/sleep disturbances (D/A/S) in patients with chronic pain.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted at 13 tertiary hospitals across China, enrolling patients who experienced chronic pain between November 2023 and May 2024. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and TCM constitution categories were used to assess the patients. The association between the TCM constitution and the D/A/S ratio was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsA total of 1107 patients (63.2% women) were analyzed. Compared with those with a balanced constitution, patients who had qi-deficiency and yin-deficiency were at a higher risk of depression. Qi-deficiency and yin-deficiency were associated with anxiety. Sleep disturbances were common in patients with qi-deficiency constitution (odds ratio [OR]: 2.32, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.42–3.81), yang-deficiency constitution (OR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.26–2.98), yin-deficiency constitution (OR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.24–3.32), blood stasis constitution (OR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.01–4.22), and qi-stagnation constitution (OR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.35–5.25).ConclusionIn patients with chronic pain, specific TCM constitutions may be associated with D/A/S. Further longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the potential causal relationships between TCM constitution types and these conditions.