title: Essential factors of Sui Zheng Shi Liang strategy in type 2 diabetes treatment assessed by questionnaire.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sui Zheng Shi Liang strategy (regulating prescription dosage with different syndromes) is an important part of syndrome differentiation and treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Questionnaires were given to doctors and patients to study the essential factors (indicators and timing) of Sui Zheng Shi Liang strategy in the treatment process of type 2 diabetes (T2DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two questionnaires were designed for diabetes patients and their doctors. The questionnaires included the most important indicators for determining the patient's condition, the ability of TCM in treating T2DM, the length of time it takes forTCM to be effective, and when to adjust the prescription dosage. The frequency of answers was calculated, summarized, and analyzed after the survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty questionnaires from doctors and 90 questionnaires from patients were included in the analysis. Doctors and patients recognized that TCM could decrease blood glucose, improve syndromes, and delay complications. Doctors were mainly concerned about glycosylated hemoglobin, while the patients were concerned about fasting plasma glucose for determining whether treatment was effective. Doctors also paid attention to changes in blood sugar and syndromes 2 weeks after medication was given as the indication to adjust the prescription dosage, while patients were concerned about these factors in 4 weeks. The prescription should be regulated when there are side effects or the medication is ineffective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The essential factor in the treatment process of T2DM in Sui Zheng Shi Liang strategy is that if fasting blood glucose level did not decrease after 4 weeks of treatment, the Chinese medicine prescription should be adjusted.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Department, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Fengmei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.forename: Xinyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Linhua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Lipeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin