Relationship between liver fibrosis criteria and syndrome-type of TCM in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver

Abstract

Objective

To explore the relationship between the liver fibrosis criteria and TCM Syndrome type in patients suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver.

Methods

Seventynine patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver diagnosed by B ultrasonography were classified by TCM Syndrome Differentiation and their liver fibrosis criteria was determined and compared with those of the healthy subjects as control.

Results

Levels of procollagen I (PCIII), hyaluronic acid (HA), collagen IV(CIV) and laminin (LN) in the fatty liver group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05,P< 0.01). In respect to the TCM Syndrome-types, PC III, C IV and LN in patients of Phlegm-stasis combined type were significantly higher than those in patients of Spleen deficiency-Phlegm dampness Syndrome-type and Damp-Heat Syndrome-type (P<0.05,P < 0.01), while HA in different groups was insignificantly different (P> 0. 05 ).

Conclusion

There was trend of liver fibrosis in fatty liver patients. It was indicated that the Phlegm-stasis combined Syndrome-type possibly was the main TCM pathologic factor of the increasing of fibrosis criteria for non-alcoholic fatty liver.