Distribution of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome types among rheumatoid arthritis patients and differences of BMP6 and IL-1β in different syndromes in northern Xinjiang.

Objective: To explore the distribution rules of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the northern Xinjiang region and their inherent relationship with related factors, in order to assistant the clinical treatment of RA. Methods: A total of 217 patients with RA in the northern Xinjiang region were collected. The TCM syndrome types, tongue coating, pulse condition, symptoms, disease duration, disease activity score 28 (DAS28), and indicators such as IL-1β and BMP6 detected by ELISA were statistically analyzed. Results: There are more female RA patients than male RA patients. The proportions of TCM syndrome types were as follows: cold-damp obstruction syndrome > liver-kidney deficiency syndrome > phlegm-stasis obstruction syndrome > damp-heat obstruction syndrome > rheumatic obstruction syndrome > qi-blood deficiency syndrome. There was no statistical difference in the distribution of gender and age among different TCM syndrome types in RA patients (P>0.05) . The main characteristics of TCM syndromes in this region were morning stiffness of joints, fixed joint pain, joint pain relieved by pressing, increased pain in cold weather, difficulty in joint flexion and extension, soreness and weakness of waist and knees, lighter symptoms during the day and heavier at night, worsened symptoms on rainy days, and heavy limbs. There were statistical differences in disease duration, DAS28, C-reactive protein, and BMP6 among different TCM syndrome types (P<0.05) and no statistical differences in IL-6, IL-1β, RF and CCP (P> 0.05) . Compared with other syndrome types, the C-reactive protein of wind-dampness impediment was higher than that of deficiency of liver and kidney, the DAS28 disease activity level of cold-dampness impediment was higher than that of deficiency of liver and kidney, the BMP6 level of damp-heat impediment was higher than that of wind-dampness impediment, cold-dampness impediment, and the BMP6 level of phlegm-stasis impediment was higher than that of wind-dampness impediment. Conclusion: The characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine syndroms of RA patients in northern Xinjiang are mainly "cold", "dampness" and "deficiency", and the syndrome type is the most common cold-dampness obstruction syndrome, and the disease activity is high. The abnormal manifestations of bone and joint in damp-heat obstruction syndrome and phlegm-stasis obstruction syndrome are more prominent, and the level of BMP6 is relatively high. Age and gender have an influence on the onset of RA, and the duration of disease has an influence on the distribution of TCM syndromes of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]