Correlative analyses of principal components of phlegm stasis syndrome (痰浊内阻证) and blood stasis syndrome (血瘀证) in cases with carotid atherosclerosis

Objective To analyze the internal relationship between phlegm stasis syndrome (痰浊内阻证) and blood stasis syndrome (血瘀证) in cases with carotid atherosclerosis. Methods The clinical data of 136 patients with atherosclerosis accompanied by phlegm stasis and blood stasis syndromes were collected from the investigation table of the 4 diagnostic methods in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM); the principal components of the clinical data were statistically analyzed, and the correlative relationships of these principal components were studied. Results There were two principal components of phlegm stasis syndrome, which were tz1 and tz2. And tz1 cumulated 42.645% to phlegm stasis syndrome, which could be considered as phlegm stasis in limbs and tunnel; tz2 cumulated 24.898% to phlegm stasis syndrome, which could be considered as phlegm stasis in the body that might impair the 7 orifices (such as eyes, ears, nose and mouth). And they could also be considered as special markers of phlegm stasis syndrome of carotid atherosclerosis. There were three principal components of blood stasis syndrome, which were xy1, xy2 and xy3. And xy1 cumulated 37.197% to blood stasis syndrome, which could be considered as blood stasis in the artery and tunnel; xy2 cumulated 21.627% to blood stasis syndrome, which could be considered as the blood outside the vessels located in the body and could obstruct tunnel and could not nourish muscle and skin; then, xy3 cumulated 13.685% to blood stasis syndrome, which could be considered as the blood stayed in the brain and could not nourish brain and might reflect as a special marker of blood stasis syndrome of carotid atherosclerosis. There was significant positive correlative relationship between phlegm stasis syndrome principal component 1 and blood stasis syndrome principal component either 1 or 2 (P0.01). And there was significant positive relationship between phlegm stasis syndrome principal component 2 and blood stasis syndrome principal component either 1 or 3 (both P0.01). Conclusion In the pathogenesis of carotid atherosclerosis, phlegm was closely related to blood stasis. The analyses and researches of the principle components in phlegm stasis and blood stasis syndromes in cases with carotid atherosclerosis are helpful to the deep understanding of the internal characteristics of the syndromes of traditional Chinese medicine.