Theory of traditional Chinese medicine and therapeutic method of diseases

Traditional Chinese medicine, including herbal medicine and acupuncture, as one of the most important parts in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), plays the key role in the formation of integrative medicine. Why do not the modern drugs targeting the specificity of diseases produce theoretical effects in clinical observation? Why does not the traditional Chinese medicine targeting the Zheng (syndrome) produce theoretical effects in clinic? There should have some reasons to combine Western medicine with Chinese herbal medicine so as to form the integrative medicine. During the integration, how to clarify the impact of CAM theory on Western medicine has become an emergent topic. This paper focuses on the exploration of the impact of theory of traditional Chinese medicine on the therapy of diseases in Western medicine.

Anti-Helicobacterpyloriimmunoglobulin G(IgG)and IgA antibody responses and the value of clinical presentations in diagnosis of H.pyloriinfection in patients with precancerous lesions

AIM: To determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylon) infection, the serum anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA antibody responses, and the value of clinical presentations in diagnosis of H. pylori infection in patients with gastric atrophy, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia.METHODS: H. pylori infection was detected by histology in 209 patients with mild chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG, n=76),severe CAG (n=22), mild intestinal metaplasia (IM, n=22),severe IM (n=58), or dysplasia (DYS, n=31). Serum antiH. pylori IgG and IgA were double sampled and evaluated by enzyme-linked immunoadsordent assays. 35 clinical presentations were observed and their relationship with H.pylori infection was analyzed by the k-means cluster method.RESULTS: Both IgG and IgA levels in H. pylori positive patients were significantly higher than those negative for H.pylori(P＜0.001-0.01). The prevalence of H. pylori was highest in severe IM (84.5%), and lowest in mild CAG (51.3%)(P＜0.01). They were similar in severe CAG (68.2%), mild IN (72.7%), and DYS (67.7%). In H.pylori positive patients,the IgG levels in severe CAG were significantly higher than those in mild CAG (P＜0.01). In H.pylori negative patients,both IgG and IgA levels increased remarkably in severe IM,compared to those in mild IM (P＜0.01-0.05).H. pylori infection exhibited no association with patient′s gender (62.1% in males; 71.7 % in females) and age (r=0.0814, P=0.241).The diagnostic accuracy based on 35 clinical presentations was 65.7 %. It could be improved by 5.7% when only the assemblage of digestive symptoms were engaged, or by 8.6 % when the pathogenic factors, general status and grossoscopy were combined. The diagnostic accuracy could be decreased when only the general symptoms were engaged, or when the pathogenic factors were accompanied with some common digestive symptoms.CONCLUSION: H. pylori infection is a major risk factor for the process from atrophy, IM to DYS of gastric mucosa.Serum IgG and IgA are good indicators to evaluate this progress with a certain arrearage. Investigation on the effective assemblages of clinical presentations may provide a better understanding in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment for H. pylori infection.

Correlation between CD4, CD8 cell infiltration in gastric mucosa, Helicobacter pylori infection and symptoms in patients with chronic gastritis

AIM: To evaluate the correlation between CD4, CD8 cell infiltration in gastric mucosa, Helicobacter pylori(H pylori)infection and symptoms or the assemblage of symptoms in cases with chronic gastritis.METHODS: Biopsy samples at the gastric antrum were obtained from 62 patients with chronic gastritis. CD4 and CD8 cell infiltration was evaluated by immunohistochemical assays on frozen sections of the biopsy samples. Fifteen symptoms referring to digestion-related activity and nondigestion related activity were observed. The correlation between lymphocyte infiltration and each symptom or symptom assemblage was analyzed by logistic regression and K-mean cluster methods.RESULTS: CD4 cell infiltrations in gastric mucosa were much more in patients with H pylori infection, while CD8 cell infiltrations were similar in patients with or without H pylori infection. Logistic regression analysis showed that the symptoms including heavy feeling in head or body (t= 2.563), and thirst (t= 2.478) were significantly related with CD4 cell infiltration in gastric mucosa (P＜0.05), and cool limbs with aversion to cold were related with CD8cell infiltration (t = 2.872, P＜0.05). Further analysis showed that non-digestive related symptom assemblage could increase the predicted percentage of CD4 and CD8cell infiltration in gastric mucosa, including lower CD4infiltration by 12.5%, higher CD8 infiltration by 33.3%,and also non-H pylori infection by 23.6%.K-means cluster analysis of all symptoms and CD4 and CD8 cell infiltration in gastric mucosa showed a similar tendency to increase the predicted percentage of CD4, CD8 cell infiltration and H pylori infection.CONCLUSION: Based on correlation between the gastric mucosa lymphocyte infiltration, H pylori infection and clinical symptoms, symptoms or symptomatic assemblages play an important role in making further classification of chronic gastritis, which might help find a more specific therapy for chronic gastritis.