Integrated Clinical Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Conventional Medicine on Diabetic Patients

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), examination of the tongue plays an important role in diagnosis. The characteristics of the tongue(e.g., color of the tongue body, tongue fur, teeth-marked tongue) provides some clues and prognosis, which are considered a reflection of the body's internal condition. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder of hyperglycemia, which lead to damage the kidneys, eyes, nerves, blood vessels, and heart. Long standing hyperglycemia can also be associated with buccal alteration. The purpose of this study was to survey on tongue diagnosis and other examinations associated with diabetic mellitus.

Inclusion Criteria:

• diabetic patients(ac sugar>126mg/dl or HbA1c>6.5, twice)
• pre-diabetic patients(100mg/dl <ac sugar<126mg/dl, or 5.9<HbA1c<6.5)
• non-diabetic patients(ac sugar<100mg/dl )

Exclusion Criteria:

• acute infectious disease,
• cancer,
• End Stage Renal Disease