[A family survey of syndromes of traditional Chinese medicine in patients with beta-thalassemia].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between syndromes of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and genetic background in patients with beta-thalassemia.


METHODS
TCM syndromes were surveyed in the selected 78 patients with beta-thalassemia intermedia including 120 parents. The gene mutations were detected separately. The frequency and score of TCM syndromes between the offspring and their parents in different family types were analyzed, and the differences were compared.


RESULTS
The 73 families were divided into two family types by hereditary characteristics. Family type one meant that genotypes of one of the parents were normal, while the offspring genotypes were heterozygous and were exactly the same as another parent. In the 22 families of type one, the heterozygous offspring manifested 6 high-frequency symptoms and signs such as spontaneous perspiration, dry mouth and dry throat, pale or sallow complexion, tidal fever and night sweating, lassitude and pale fingernails. The heterozygous parents manifested 5 high-frequency symptoms and signs such as lassitude in loins and knees, dizziness, aversion to cold and cold limbs, tinnitus, dry mouth and dry throat. The normal parents manifested 3 high-frequency symptoms and signs such as lassitude in loins and knees, dizziness, and spontaneous perspiration. TCM syndrome score in the heterozygous offspring was higher than that in the heterozygous and normal parents, but there was no significant difference (P>0.05). Family type two meant that genotypes of both parents were heterozygous, while the offspring genotypes were heterogenic duplex heterozygotes. In the 51 families of type two, the offspring manifested 9 high-frequency symptoms and signs such as pale or sallow complexion, spontaneous perspiration, dry mouth and dry throat, pale fingernails, tidal fever and night sweating, lassitude, frequent attack of common cold, dysphoria with feverish sensation in chest, and yellow discoloration of the skin and sclera. The parents manifested 3 high-frequency symptoms and signs such as lassitude in loins and knees, dizziness, aversion to cold and cold limbs. TCM syndrome score in the offspring was significant higher than that in the parents (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
In the two family types, TCM syndrome in the offspring is of yin-blood deficiency, while the syndrome of the parents is of kidney deficiency. The differences of TCM syndromes between the offspring and the parents may have some relations to the type of mutant genes and genetically modified ingredients. This research provides scientific evidence to TCM syndrome differentiation treatment of thalassemia.
Wang
Wen-Juan
WJ
Department of Molecular Biology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China.
Wu
Zhi-Kui
ZK
Zhang
Xin-Hua
XH
Liu
Wen-Jun
WJ
Liu
Yong-Mei
YM
Fang
Su-Ping
SP
Wang
Rong-Xin
RX
Zhang
Chong
C
Li
Ping-Ping
PP
Luo
Rui-Gui
RG
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D009154:Mutation; D010290:Parents; D010375:Pedigree; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*