• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.348-360
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• 2015

Objectives From observing the tongue of a patient, one can assess the health status; this method has been frequently used in traditional Korean Medicine (KM) clinics. In particular, KM posits that the color of the tongue is highly related to digestive functions. In this study, the color of tongue and heart rate variability (HRV) were compared between chronic dyspepsia (CD) patients and healthy subjects. Methods Healthy subjects and CD patients with functional dyspepsia (FD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or chronic gastritis (CG) were enrolled for the study. Profile view images of the tongue were acquired by using a computerized tongue image acquisition system (CTIS). The color of the tongue body was extracted from the non-coated region on the tongue images. Results Color differences in CIE L*a*b* color space between the three sub-types of CD patients and healthy subjects were analyzed by using multiple linear regression analysis with age and sex as the factors. The variable b* was significantly lower in GERD patients than in the controls (p=0.017). Variable a* was significantly lower in CG than in the controls (p=0.03). No significant difference was seen between FD and controls. In GERD, the tongue body seems to be intense red in color; in CG, pale red. Frequency domain analysis showed that HF was significantly lower in GERD patients than in the controls (p=0.041). Conclusions The color of the tongue body and HF of HRV can be used for diagnosing digestive functions in health care.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.40-51
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• 2020

Objectives: We aimed to compare the quality of sleep, tongue diagnosis, oral microbiology differences in insomnia of Liver qi stagnation (LQS) and Non-Liver qi stagnation (NLQS). Methods: 56 patients were classified as LQS or NLSQ type insomnia through the insomnia differentiation questionnaire. The depression scores between the groups were compared through beck depression inventory (BDI), and the sleep quality was compared through Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). We analyzed the sleep efficiency, total sleep time, total awake frequency, total and average awake time through actigraph. For the tongue diagnosis, the distribution of tongue coating in six areas were measured through Winkel tongue coating index (WTCI). Linear discriminant analysis was performed to observe the differences in composition of microbial strains between the groups. Results: The scores of BDI, ISI and PSQI were significantly higher in LQS group. The total sleep time in LQS group was significantly less than that of NLQS group. Among the areas of tongue, according to the WTCI, the amount of tongue coating in zones A and C was significantly small. In oral microbial analysis, there was no significant difference between the groups at the phylum level. At the genus level, Prevotella, Veillonella, and Streptococcus were predominant in LQS group, whereas Prevotella, Neisseria, and Streptococcus in NLQS group. Conclusions: It was meaningful that insomnia was more likely in LQS group than in NLQS group, and the composition of oral microorganisms was significantly different, which could lead to the diseases caused by stress.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of tongue color and the correlation of the tongue colors with clinical laboratory parameters. Methods : Statistical analysis on the frequency of each tongue color and the results of the clinical laboratory parameters in each tongue color group. Results : Tongue colors that appeared most frequently were 702c, 695c, 493c, 694c, 701c, 500c, 7432c, 7431c, 7634c, 7419c in that order. Following them, 494c and 507c were rarer colors, and 501c, 673c, 687c, 693c, 696c, 703c, 7418c were equally rarest colors. Among each tongue color group, a significant difference was found in the result of complete blood cell count (CBC). The level of red blood cell (RBC) of 7432c group was significantly higher than that of the other groups except 694c group. The level of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct) of 7432c group were significantly higher than those of all the other groups. The level of RBC of 7431c group was lowest and significantly different from 694c, 7432c group. In results of the other tests were not significantly different. However the level of total cholesterol was higher in 695c, 694c, 500c group, and the level of triglyceride was higher in 500c, 7431c, 694c group. Those four colors have a low chroma and 7431c, 695c take blue violet color. Conclusions : The tongue color is distributed throughout following colors by order of frequency: 702c, 695c, 493c, 694c, 701c, 500c, 7432c, 7431c, 7634c, 7419c, 708c, 494c, 507c, 501c, 673c, 687c, 693c, 696c, 703c, 7418c. Some parameters of CBC has a significant correlation with some tongue colors. Other results including lipid profile, renal function test, and liver function test had no significant difference according to tongue color. However, the colors which have low chroma or take blue violet color tented to be higher in the levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.37-42
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• 1999

In Oriental medicine, the subjective process of diagnosis often makes it difficult to explain the indications objectively, in spite of its excellent therapeutic value. The authors' objective Was to present more objective indications of Chongpesagan-tang(淸肺瀉肝湯), a prescription predominantly used to treat stroke in Oriental Medicine, We analyzed clinical symptoms of 105 patients who were hospitalized in the Department of Circulatory Internal Medicine, College of Oriental Medicine. Kyung Hee University, Seoul, who were given Chongpesagan-tang and improved without side effects, The symptoms analyzed included general symptoms which are usually checked in the process of Oriental Medicine Diagnosis: the so called Four Diagnosis(四診). We rearranged and selected symptoms which were predominantly found among other symptoms. We found some symptoms of which the patients frequently complained: sweating 84%, red tongue 74%, white tongue coat 65%, constipation 35%, tight pulse 21%, headache 20%, thirst 20%, chest discomport 17%, etc, We believe that these suggest an objective indication of Chongpesagantang.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.647-657
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• 2001

In the oriental medicine field, researches have been in progress regarding oriental medical factors. I also carried out a clinical study on stroke, from which I discovered meaningful results about important factors that impact on the prognosis of stroke. We studied 132 patients after diagnosis of stroke through a Brain-CT scan and MRI sea, to the oriental internal medicine department at the Hospital affiliated to Oriental Medical College, Dongeui University. All the patients showed meaningful improvement in the examination of their symptoms after four weeks, compared with the first week. Between strokes involving meridian system and strokes involving internal organs, the symptom of paralysis caused by strokes involving meridian system, which patients were in favorable initial condition, had improved significantly and that by strokes involving internal organs had not. The group whose initial bowel movement since the stroke was delayed, whose coating on the tongue was thick or the tongue was dry, whose pulse was tachycardiac, or who had a history of hypertension or diabetics showed a significantly worse symptom after 4 weeks than that of groups in the opposite cases.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.47-59
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• 2013

Objective : Syndrome differentiation(辨證) has clinical importance in East Asian Traditional Medicine. There are several ways for Syndrome differentiation. However, Eight Principle Pattern Identification(八綱辨證) is the base of other Syndrome differentiations. Of the physicians focused on Eight Principle Patterns(八綱), I have researched for Eight Principle Pattern Identification concerning with Zhang Jie-Bin(張介賓), Cheng Guo-Peng(程國彭), and Jiang Han-Tun(江涵暾) in Ming(明) and Qing(淸.) Method : Applying to Eight Principle Pattern Identification, I have researched comparatively for 3 kinds for. First, Zhang Jie-Bin's Jingyuequanshu(景岳全書) that involves Yinyangpian(陰陽篇), Liubianbian(六變辨), Biaozhengpian(表證篇), Lizhengpian(裏證篇), Xushipian(虛實篇), and Hanrepian(寒熱篇), secondly, Cheng Guo-Peng's Yixuexinwu(醫學心悟) Hanrexushibiaoliyinyangbian(寒熱虛實表裏陰陽辨), at lastly Jiang Han-Tun's Bihuayijing(筆花醫鏡) Biaolixushihanreyinyangbian(表裏虛實寒熱辨). Results : All of sick cases can be explained totally by Eight Principle Patterns. Of Eight Principle Patterns, Yin(陰) and Yang(陽) include last Six Principle Patterns(六綱 : 表裏, 寒熱, 虛實). Six Principle Patterns can be divided normally by 6 pulses(六脈 : 浮沈 遲數 虛實). In all of pain cases, feeling comfortable(可按) or discomfortable(拒按) to palpation can be important foundation for distinguishing Xu(虛) from Shi(實). Physical constitution(體質) for Hanre Xushi(寒熱 虛實) and tongue-diagnosis(舌診) for Biaoli Hanre(表裏 寒熱) are used effectively. Related with tongue-diagnosis, tongue-coating(舌苔) for Biaoli and tongue status(舌質) for Hanre are used effectively. Symptoms should be divided following this sequence, Biaoli ${\rightarrow}$ Hanre ${\rightarrow}$ Xushi and lastly should be summarized of Yinyang. Conclusion : Diagnosing with Eight Principle Patterns, digestive function, urine, and feces should be checked at first. In addition, the pulse, tongue, physical constitution, and good or bad from palpation(觸診), these should be checked and give a result. And then the result can be an important evidence of syndrome differentiation. As a result, it would be the best to diagnosis that discriminating the sequence as Biaoli Hanre Xushi and summarizing with Yinyang.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.13 no.2 s.20
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• pp.91-100
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• 2007

In this paper, We tried to analyze the patent trend on constitution diagnosis and treatment related technologies. For this, constitution diagnosis and treatment related technologies divided into 16 sub-technology by the advisory committee. And we analyzed patents applied in Korea, Japan, U.S.A., China, and Europe. The 16 sub-technology consist of pulse analyzer, skin diagnosis, tongue analyzer, face and body detector, face analyzer, voice analyzer, intelligence ontology, meridian diagnosis, infrared thermography, electric stimulation, laser, high and low frequency, physical, magnetic, and ultrasound therapy. As a result we found that patents of constitution diagnosis and treatment in Korea has been growing steadily in both quality and quantity since 1980s. The number of patent the pulse analyzer and low frequency therapy are larger than others. But applied relevant international patents, marketability of the patent and Cites per Patent (CPP) index are shown to be very low. In conclusion, to occupy key original technologies of the Oriental medical device, we need to apply more patent of the whole related technology and international patents.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.894-899
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• 2011

Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) has been actively researched through various approaches, including computational methods. This paper aims at providing an overview of domestic studies using the computational techniques in TKM field. A literature search was conducted in Korean publications using OASIS system, and major studies of data mining in TKM were identified. A review was presented in six diagnosis fields, including sasang constitution diagnosis, eight constitution diagnosis, tongue diagnosis, pattern diagnosis for stroke, diagnosis based on ontology, diagnosis for cause of disease. They collect clinical data themselves for experiments and primarily applied a algorithm of decision tree, SVM, neural network, case-based reasoning, ontology reasoning, discriminant analysis. In the future, there needs to identify which algorithm is suitable to diagnosis or other fields of TKM.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.637-644
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• 2018

Objectives: In this study, the tongue features of patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) were compared with those of healthy controls. Methods: This prospective, case-control study was conducted on patients with FD and controls recruited at a single center. After screening, the subjects were allocated to the patient or control groups (patients=42, controls=40). Tongue images were acquired using a computerized tongue image acquisition system (CTIS). An independent t-test was conducted to compare the measurements from patients and controls. Binary logistic regression was performed to determine significant differences between the two groups after adjusting for age and sex. Results: The CIE $a^*$ color value in the tongue coating area was significantly lower in the patients with FD than in the controls (p=0.001). The tongue coating ratios were also significantly higher in the FD group than in the control group (p=0.003). We found that the CIE $a^*$ color value in the tongue coating area and the tongue coating ratios were significant predictive factors in both groups, based on binary regression analysis (p=0.016, 0.044, respectively). Conclusions: This study found that FD was significantly associated with CIE $a^*$ color value in the tongue coating area and tongue coating ratios. We suggest that these factors could be used as objective indicators of FD.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.13 no.2 s.20
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• pp.53-58
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• 2007

Background and Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate that which symptoms are adequate indicator of the Dampness-Phlegm pattern in the stroke patients. Methods : In the time period Jul. 2005 to Sep. 2006, 136 patients with a first-ever stroke admitted in the department of Internal Medicine of Daejeon University Oriental Medical Hospital in Daejeon city, Wonkwang Oriental Medical Hospital in Iksan, JeonJu city were included. Patients were hospitalized within 3 months after the onset of stroke. Stroke patients had been interviewed by resident who studied standard operation procedures in Fundamental Study for Standardization and Objectification of Differentiation and Pattern Identification of Syndrome of Oriental Medicine for Stroke. Gi-deficiency patients was confirmed by medical specialist diagnosis, resident diagnosis, case report form analysis without a dissenting voice. Results : Dampness-Phlegm group included 37 case, Non Dampness-Phlegm group 45 case out of 136 patients. white tongue coating, slippery purse, yellowish complexion, enlarged tongue, swollen tongue were higher among Dampness-Phlegm group. Dampness-Phlegm and Non Dampness-Phlegm patients do not significantly differ in heavy sensation in the head, voice with sputum, teeth printed tongue, borborygmus, dizziness with nausea. Conclusions : This study was insufficiency because sample size is very small. More data from prospective cohort studies will help to Korean Standard Differentiation of the Symptoms and Signs for the Stroke.