Syndrome Element Distribution and Complication Risks in Type 2 Diabetic Patients：A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study
10.13288/j.11-2166/r.2025.13.011
- VernacularTitle:2型糖尿病患者证素分布及并发症风险的回顾性横断面研究
- Author:
Yu WEI
1
;
Lili ZHANG
2
;
Ling ZHOU
1
;
Linhua ZHAO
2
;
Qing NI
2
;
Xiaolin TONG
2
Author Information
1. Beijing University of Chinese Medicine，Beijing，100029
2. Guang'anmen Hospital，China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
type 2 diabetes mellitus;
spleen-heat;
consumptive-heat;
syndrome element;
maximum body mass index;
propensity score matching
- From:
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2025;66(13):1363-1368
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo investigate the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome elements in type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） patients based on maximum body mass index （maxBMI） and explore their association with complication risks. MethodsA retrospective cross-sectional study was used to collect clinical data from hospitalized T2DM patients， extracting age， gender， smoking history， alcohol consumption history， duration of disease， HbA1c level， complications， and TCM syndromes， and extracting the syndrome elements of disease location and disease nature based on their TCM syndromes. MaxBMI was calculated by telephone survey of patients' self-reported maximum body weight； patients with maxBMI ≥24 kg/m2 were classified into spleen-heat syndrome group， and those with maxBMI ＜24 kg/m2 were classified into consumptive-heat syndrome group. The distribution of TCM syndrome types and syndrome elements of patients in the two groups were analysed. Then the propensity score matching method was used to balance the baseline characteristics between the two groups and compare the differences in the distribution of syndrome types and syndrome elements and the risk of macrovascular and microvascular complications between the two groups. ResultsAmong the 1178 T2DM patients， syndrome elements in spleen-heat patients （1034 cases） were primarily located in the spleen （351 cases， 33.95%）， liver （240 cases， 23.21%）， and stomach （139 cases， 13.44%）， while in consumptive-heat patients （144 cases）， they were concentrated in the spleen （57 cases， 39.58%）， liver （34 cases， 23.61%）， and kidneys （17 cases， 11.81%）； regarding syndrome elements of disease nature， spleen-heat patients were predominantly characterized by qi deficiency （481 cases， 46.52%）， phlegm （353 cases， 22.73%）， and dampness （241 cases， 23.31%）， whereas consumptive-heat patients showed more qi deficiency （84 cases， 58.33%） and yin deficiency （44 cases， 30.56%）. After propensity score matching， 132 cases were included in each group， and no statistically significant differences were observed in the distribution of syndrome elements of disease location between the two groups （P＞0.05）， but the phlegm element was significantly more prevalent in spleen-heat patients than in consumptive-heat patients （P = 0.006）. Regarding the risk of complications， spleen-heat patients had a significantly higher risk of developing macrovascular complications compared to consumptive-heat patients （OR=2.04， P=0.010）， while no significant differences were found between groups in the occurrence of microvascular complications （P＞0.05）. ConclusionThe spleen-heat T2DM patients show a more frequent syndrome element of disease nature of phlegm， and a higher risk of developing macrovascular complications compared to consumptive-heat patients.
