Objective The objective of this research was to develop a core traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes set for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). MethodsA dataset of TCM syndrome names via systematic review and medical records was developed, and common TCM syndromes classification for NVAF via cross-sectional study were identified. A questionnaire was then developed according to the results of cross-sectional study and the TCM syndrome names dataset. Two rounds of the Delphi survey were carried; clinicians, researchers of TCM/integrated medicine, and nurses were included in the Delphi survey. After a face to face consensus meeting, a core TCM syndromes set for NVAF was developed. ResultsThe core TCM syndromes set for NVAF included four core TCM syndromes, which involved qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome (core symptoms/signs: palpitations, chest distress or pain, dark purple tongue, or tongue with ecchymosis or petechial, irregular pulse or uneven pulse), heart-kidney yang deficiency syndrome (core symptoms/signs: palpitation, chest distress, fatigue, weakness, chills, pale complexion, frequent urination, wheezing, edema on the face or both lower extremities, oliguria, slippery pulse or slender pulse or deep pulse), qi and yin deficiency (core symptoms/signs: palpitation, chest distress, fatigue, shortness of breath, fine pulse, spontaneous perspiration, night sweats, forgetfulness, lassitude, red tongue, little or no moss on the tongue, and fine pulse), heart and spleen deficiency (core symptoms/signs: palpitation, chest tightness, spontaneous perspiration, abdominal distension after eating, loose stools, pale tongue, weak pulse). ConclusionsThe core TCM syndromes set of NVAF may improve the consistency of TCM syndromes efficacy evaluation in clinical trials of NVAF.
The scientific establishment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome diagnostic criteria is the basic link to achieve standardization and normalization of TCM diagnosis and treatment. The ambiguous idea and method, incomplete key technology, and unformed development standard of the establishment of TCM syndrome diagnostic criteria restrict its development and application. Therefore, project team drafted the development guideline of TCM syndrome diagnostic criteria and modified it according to expert opinions, which was based on the technical system established previously. This guideline could be used as a reference for formulating diagnostic criteria. It is also applicable to clinical, teaching, and scientific research related to syndrome diagnostic criteria that professional personnel from various levels of TCM (integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine) medical, teaching institutions, and research institutes participated.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the methodological quality of cross-sectional surveys about Chinese medicine syndrome in a population at potential risk of cerebrovascular diseases. Methods The CNKI, WanFang Data, CBM and PubMed databases were electronically searched to collect cross-sectional surveys about Chinese medicine syndromes in a population at potential risk of cerebrovascular diseases from inception to December, 2022. The methodological quality was assessed using the JBI scale. Results A total of 105 studies were included. The average reporting rate of JBI was 52.06%, and the items with the highest scores included "sufficient coverage of the identified sample in data analysis" (100%), "description of study subjects and setting" (92.38%), and "using valid methods for the identification of the condition" (86.67%). Items with the lowest scores included "adequate sample size" (13.33%), "adequate response rate or low response rate managed appropriately" (14.29%), and "study participants recruited in an appropriate way" (20.95%). Subgroup analysis suggested that type of publication and number of implementation centers were potential factors influencing methodology quality (P<0.05). Conclusion The methods essential to a cross-sectional survey such as sampling, sample size calculation and handling with the response rate, and the syndrome diagnosis scales specific to Chinese medicine require further improvement.