Comparative Analysis of Tongue Indices between Patients with and without a Self-Reported Yin Deficiency: A Cross-Sectional Study. (17th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Su-Ryun; Choi, Woojin; Yeo, Inkwon; Nam, Dong-Hyun
• Other Names: Nah Seong S. Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. Volume 2017(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-05-17
• Subjects: Alternative medicine -- Periodicals; 615.505
• DOI: 10.1155/2017/1279052
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-427X

Abstract

Abstract : We investigated the hypothesis that Yin-deficient patients have a reddened tongue with less coating. We screened 189 participants aged 20 to 49 years, complaining of headache. To classify patients in terms of Yin deficiency, we used two self-reporting Yin-deficiency questionnaires (Yin-Deficiency Questionnaire and Yin-Deficiency Scale) and diagnosis by a doctor. Based on the tests, a total of 33 subjects were assigned to a Yin-deficient group and 33 subjects were assigned to a nondeficient control group. Tongue images were acquired using a computerized tongue diagnostic system, for evaluating tongue indices. The tongue coating percentage and tongue redness were calculated as the mean a ⁎ value of both the whole tongue area (WT a ⁎ ) and the tongue body area (TB a ⁎ ). The tongue coating percentage of the Yin-deficient group (34.79 ± 10.76) was lower than that of the nondeficient group (44.13 ± 14.08). The WT a ⁎ value of the Yin-deficient group (19.39 ± 1.52) was significantly higher than that of the nondeficient group (18.21 ± 2.06). However, the difference in the TB a ⁎ value between the two groups was not significant. In conclusion, we verified that Yin-deficient patients had less tongue coating and tended to have a more reddish tongue than nondeficient patients.