Tongue Characteristics Of Patients With Fatty Liver. Physical Examination Population Study

1 ObjectiveUsing control study methods to find the differences of tongue and symptom between fatty liver people and non-fatty liver people, and get the characteristics them. Then combining it with the result of theory study and discussing the syndrome elements of fatty liver to provide scientific and clinical reference of Fatty Liver treatment.2 MethodsIn this study, both theoretical research and clinical study were related. Descriptive statistics was used in theoretical study to analyze the result of recently ten years records about fatty liver. The clinical research plan was designed the principles of clinical epidemiology, using control study, with the checkup people as object. Following the clinical research plan, observed the tongue and symptom and record them. And took photos of tongue, then analyzed the photos and got the chromatic values and parameter information. To chose suitable statistics methods according to the data type (Chi-square test, Paired-samples T test, Factor analysis, Multiplicities correspondence analysis), and find the last result.3 Results3.1 Theoretical research The key feature of Fatty liver people's tongue demonstration was greasy tongue fur and dark color tongue; the most common syndrome were: phlegm-static coagulation, phlegmatic-hydrosol static, endoretention of damp heat, stagnation of liver-QI with deficiency of the spleen, stagnation of QI due to depression of the liver, and so on.3.2 The tongue characteristic of fatty liver people3.2.1 The tongue characteristic by macroscopic observation3.2.1.1 In all study population, lingual contour,fur texture(including the fur thickness) were different in different layers of age, P<0.05. the occurrence of abnormal lingual contour and thick fur were more and more with age; color of tongue, lingual contour and fur color were different in male and female group, P<0.05. the red tongue,dark red tongue and abnormal lingual contour were more common in females, and the yellow fur are more common in males.3.2.1.2 Fatty liver group To compare with the control group ,the OR value of fat and glossacele,thin and small tongue,teeth-marked tongue were 3.258,15.071,1.566, the OR value of thick tongue fur and greasy tongue fur were 2.351,2.022, the lower confidence interval all exceeded 1.The tongue characteristics of fatty liver people were teeth-marked tongue, thick fur and greasy fur.3.2.2 The study of digitization tongue picture3.2.2.1 In all study population, the value of a and b,fur thick exponent,coated tongue area were different in different layer of age, P<0.01, the value of a and b degraded with age, the fur thick exponent and coated tongue area increased with age. The value of L and b in apex of tongue,the moist of tongue,the crack exponent were different in male and female group, P<0.01. The value of L and b in apex of tongue in males were lower but the moist of tongue,the crack exponent were lager.3.2.2.2 Fatty liver group to compare with the control group, the value of b in apex and margin of tongue was lower.3.2.3 The compare of tongue information between macroscopic observation and digitization tongue pictureThe value of L in the light red tongue was the highest and in the red and dark red tongue was the lowest. The value of a in the red and dark red tongue was the highest and in the light white tongue was the lowest. The value of b in the red and dark red tongue was the highest and in the purple tongue was the lowest. The crack exponent was higher in crack tongue than in normal tongue. The fur thick exponent was lager and lager with the increase of fur thick in macroscopic observation. The coated tongue area was different in different fur thick in macroscopic observation.3.3 The analysis of fatty liver people's symptoms3.3.1 The statistical significant symptoms: fond of cool drink,hate feat,cold hands and feet,hate cold,diarrhea after eating cold food,more sweat,lethargy,heavy four limbs,more flatus, the OR value <1.3.3.2 Factor analysis showed that factor 4,7,8 were different in fatty liver group and control group. The factor 4 and 8 belonged to fatty liver group.3.4 Correspondence analyses of tongue and symptomCorrespondence analysis showed that hate cold and cool hands and feet had corresponding relationships with fat and glossacele tongue,teeth-marked tongue,crack tongue and thick fur; hate feat,more sweat,fond of cool drink had corresponding relationships with red and dark red tongue,thin and small tongue,yellow fur and thick fur; diarrhea after eating cold food had corresponding relationships with red and dark red tongue,fat and glossacele tongue,teeth-marked tongue,crack tongue and thick fur; lethargy,heavy four limbs had corresponding relationships with purple tongue,glossacele tongue,teeth-marked tongue,crack tongue; More flatus had corresponding relationships with purple tongue and thick fur.3.5 The result compare of clinical research and theoretical researchThere were many differences between the result of clinical research and theoretical research in color of tongue,lingual contour and the color of fur. The result of fur texture between clinical research and theoretical research were similar.4 Conclusions4.1 In macroscopic observation the tongue characteristic of fatty liver people were greasy fur and thick fur, fat and glossacele tongue,teeth-marked tongue. 4.2 In digitization tongue pictures the characteristic of fatty liver people were lower value of b and higher exponent of fur thick.4.3 The information of tongue demonstration between digitization tongue picture and macroscopic observation had a special corresponding relationship. Digitization tongue picture was more sensitive than macroscopic observation in reflecting some tongue information.4.4 The common symptoms of fatty liver people were food of cool drink,hate feat,diarrhea after eating cold food,more sweat,lethargy,heavy four limbs,more flatus.4.5 The essence syndrome of fatty liver people were damp syndrome,heat syndrome,stagnation of QI and stagnation of blood.