Chinese medicine functional diagnosis: An integrative insight to understand rheumatoid arthritis of the hand

This study provides new options for assessing the CM diagnosis, which may improve RA treatment strategies. Identification of joint non-related symptoms and pathogenic external factors such as algor/“cold” may help understanding activation of specific immunological mechanisms, changes of capillary endothelium and the microcirculation disturbances. Overactivation of the functional defence mechanisms by algor/“cold” seem to be of utmost importance for RA symptoms.