Evaluation indexes for symptom changes in Chinese medicine

ObjectiveTo screen and summarize evaluation indexes for symptom changes in Chinese medicine (CM).MethodsA case database was established based on information from subsequent patient visits from the case records of famous doctors since 1866. Symptom change descriptions in the database were regarded as research materials. The evaluation indexes of the symptom changes were screened and summarized.ResultsIn total, 243 evaluation indexes for 256 symptoms were summarized. Among them, common symptoms were frequency, quantity, degree, mobility, color, and correlation with fatigue.ConclusionThere are many aspects to evaluating the changes in a symptom. Some symptoms occur with other simultaneous symptoms. The alleviation or aggravation of simultaneous symptoms could reflect the corresponding changes in a symptom. The changes of inducing factors are important to judging changes in symptoms.