Research on Pattern Identification and Clinical Characteristics of Female Patients with Cold Hypersensitivity of Hands and Feet

Article information

J Korean Med. 2020;41(2):96-106

Publication date (electronic) : 2020 June 1

doi : https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.20017

Na-Yoen Kwon ¹

, Joon-Sang Yoo ²

, Ho-Yeon Go ³

, Hyeong-Jun Kim ¹

, Dong-Nyeong Lee ¹^,

¹Dept. of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Korean Medicine, Se-Myung University

²Dept. of Sasang Constitutional Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Sang-Ji University

³Dept. of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Se-Myung University

Correspondence to: Dong-Nyeong Lee, Dept. of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Korean Medicine, Se-Myung University, sangbang 4 gil 63, Chungju, Chungbuk, Korea, Tel: +82-43-841-1733, E-mail: handr88@hanmail.net

본 연구는 한국보건산업진흥원을 통해 보건복지부 「한의약선도기술개발사업」의 재정 지원을 받아 수행된 연구임. (HB16C0048-010016).

This study was supported by the Traditional Korean Medicine R & D Program funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) (HB16C0048-010016).

Received 2020 May 7; Revised 2020 May 25; Accepted 2020 May 26.

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to research the demographical and gynecologic characteristics, quality of life, and analyze the pattern identification in female patients with cold hypersensitivity of hands and feet.

Methods

112 participants were recruited from May 2018 to April 2019 from three korean medical hospitals. The data was composed of general characteristics, degree of coldness of hands and feet, gynecological questionnaire, score of WHOQOL-BREF and pattern identification. We divided data into 2 groups: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on feet and the group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on feet and hands. We tried to compare data by groups using Excel 2016 for windows and SPSS for windows (Ver. 23.0).

Results

Throughout the study, we found differences between 2 groups in weight, body mass index (BMI), VAS score of cold hypersensitivity on feet, temperature of PC8, ST32, and pattern identification.

Conclusions

After the study, we confirmed that even though both groups suffer from cold hypersensitivity of hands and feet, they show clinical differences in each group and differences in pattern identification.

Keywords: Pattern Identification; Cold Hypersensitivity; Questionnaire; WHOQOL-BREF; Clinical Characteristics

Fig. 1

Flow chart of Study

Table 1

Characteristics of Both Groups

Table 2

VAS and Thermometer of Feeling Coldness on Both groups

Table 3

Menstrual Pattern of Both groups

Table 4

Pattern of Leukorrhea in Both Groups

Table 5

Score of WHOQOL-BREF in Both Groups

Table 6

Pattern Identification in Both Groups

References

1. Jang JB, Lee KS, Song BK. Study on the definition of the Female’s Part-Coldness Syndrome. Journal of Korean Medicine 1994;15(2):397–411.

2. Bae GM, Cho HS, Kim KK, Lee IS. Research of relationship on cold hypersensitivity for the patients in OB&GY of Dong Eui Medical center. J Korean Obstet Gynecol 2002;15(2):101–13.

3. The Society of Korean Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology. Korean Medicine Obstetrics & Gynecology Ha 3rd rev. edth ed. Seoul: Eui Seong Dang Publishing Co; 2012. p. 889.

4. Kim CM. Diagnosis and treatment of cold hands/feet syndrome. Korean Journal of Family Medicine 2004;25(11):273–7.

5. Kwon JY, Kim YJ, Kong KH, Jeon CY, Go HY, Ko YM. A Study of Clinical Characteristics of Female Patients with Cold Hypersensitivity on Hands and Feet. J Korean Med 2018;39(2):64–79.

6. Kwon NY, Lee DN. A study on Menstrual Pattern of Patients with Cold Hypersensitivity on Hands and Feet. J Korean Obstet Gynecol 2019;32(3):174–91.

7. Park YK, Park KI, Park KS, Hwang DS, Lee CH, Jang JB, et al. Study on Heart Rate Variability Characteristics of Cold Hypersensitivity of Hands and Feet Patients. J Korean Obstet Gynecol 2015;28(1):92–101.

8. Kim DH, Kim YS, Lee KS. Standardization of diagnosis of cold hypersensitivity of hands and feet by D.I.T.I. J Korean Obstet Gynecol 2001;14(2):120–34.

9. Ko SW, Park JJ, Kong KH, Go HY. Diagnostic Tool for Cold Sensation of Hands; A Preliminary Study. J Int Korean Med 2015;36(3):228–35.

10. Kim DH, Jung DL, Cho CG, Hong SU. Changes in Facial palsy Patient’s Quality of life based upon Oriental-Western Medicine Treatment. J Korean Oriental Medical Ophthalmology & Otolaryngology & Dermatology 2010;23(2):174–85.

11. Public Works of Korean medicine universities’ Physiology Professor. Korean Medical Physiology 3th rev. edth ed. Seoul: Jipmoon Publishing Co; 2012. p. 89–90.

12. Kim SJ, Lee SW, Lee YS. A Study on the Difference of Cold-heat Patterns between Health and Mibyeong Group. Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine 2017;21(1):49–56.

Article information Continued

Fig. 1

Flow chart of Study

Table 1

Characteristics of Both Groups

Classification	FCG(n=38)	HFCG(n=74)	FCG-HGCG	p-value
Average age(years)	35.45 ± 10.82	36.85 ± 9.84	−1.40 ± 2.03	0.491
Height(cm)	160.71 ± 5.78	160.87 ± 5.17	−0.17 ± 1.07	0.877
Weight(kg)	58.10 ± 8.31	54.75 ± 6.54	3.35 ± 1.43	0.021*
BMI(kg/m²)	22.48 ± 2.97	21.19 ± 2.66	1.29 ± 0.55	0.021*

Values are Mean ± S.D

Statistically significant by t-test (p<0.05)

FCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on feet

HFCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on hands and feet

Table 2

VAS and Thermometer of Feeling Coldness on Both groups

Classification		FCG(n=38)	HFCG(n=74)	FCG-HFCG	p-value
VAS
	Hands	5.82 ± 1.43	6.34 ± 1.62	−0.52 ± 0.31	0.097
	Feet	6.58 ± 1.54	7.18 ± 1.43	−0.60 ± 0.29	0.044*

Thermometer(°C)
	LU4	31.75 ± 5.40	33.02 ± 1.66	−1.27 ± 0.68	0.065
	PC8	33.27 ± 1.04	30.77 ± 2.22	2.50 ± 0.31	0.000*
	LU4-PC8	−0.69 ± 1.17	2.27 ± 1.66	−2.96 ± 0.27	0.000*
	ST32	32.21 ± 1.56	31.22 ± 1.68	0.99 ± 0.33	0.003*
	LR3	29.40 ± 1.37	27.69 ± 2.14	1.71 ± 0.33	0.000*
	ST32-LR3	2.81 ± 1.37	3.53 ± 1.40	−0.72 ± 0.28	0.011*

Values are Mean ± S.D

Statistically significant by t-test (p<0.05)

FCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on feet

HFCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on hands and feet

Table 3

Menstrual Pattern of Both groups

Classification	FCG(n=38)	HFCG(n=74)	p-value
Menarche age†	13.24 ± 1.92	13.30 ± 1.55	0.858
Lower abdominal coldness†	3.95 ± 2.67	4.04 ± 2.86	0.868
Premenopause*	32	67

Classification	FCG(n=32)	HFCG(n=67)	p-value

Menstrual cycle†	29.56 ± 3.96	31.30 ± 8.65	0.282

Menstrual period*			0.151
Hypomenorrhea	1 (3.13%)	3 (4.48%)
Normal	31 (96.87%)	57 (85.07%)
Period extension	0	7 (10.45%)

Menstrual clots*			0.139
No	4 (12.50%)	21 (31.34%)
Mild	24 (75.00%)	35 (52.24%)
Moderate	4 (12.50%)	10 (14.93%)

Severe	0	1 (1.49%)
Menstrual color*			0.563
Light red	1 (3.13%)	2 (2.99%)
Clear red	17 (53.13%)	43 (64.18%)
Deep red	14 (43.74%)	22 (32.84%)

Menstrual pain*			0.101
No	5 (15.63%)	20 (29.85%)
Mild	17 (53.13%)	20 (29.85%)
Moderate	8 (25.00%)	17 (25.37%)
Severe	2 (6.24%)	10 (14.93%)

Values are number (%)

^†

Values are Mean ± S.D

FCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on feet

HFCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on hands and feet

Table 4

Pattern of Leukorrhea in Both Groups

Classification	FCG(n=38)	HFCG(n=74)	p-value
Frequency			0.280
No	5 (13.16%)	18 (24.32%)
Mild	22 (57.89%)	36 (48.65%)
Moderate	11 (28.95%)	17 (22.97%)
Sever	0	3 (4.05%)

Classification	FCG(n=33)	HFCG(n=56)	p-value

Color			0.145
Clear	17 (51.52%)	22 (39.29%)
Turbid	9 (27.27%)	22 (39.29%)
Light yellow	5 (15.15%)	12 (21.43%)
Yellow	2 (6.06%)	0

Bad odor			0.658
Yes	15 (45.45%)	22 (39.29%)
No	18 (54.55%)	34 (60.71%)

Values are number(%)

FCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on feet

HFCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on hands and feet

Table 5

Score of WHOQOL-BREF in Both Groups

Classification	FCG(n=38)	HFCG(n=74)	p-value
Overall QOL(10)	6.74 ± 1.13	6.74 ± 1.30	0.980
Physical domain(35)	19.53 ± 3.24	19.92 ± 2.89	0.516
Psychological domain(30)	16.71 ± 2.60	16.74 ± 3.19	0.957
Social domain(15)	9.68 ± 1.89	9.86 ± 1.87	0.630
Environment domain(40)	27.13 ± 3.03	27.18 ± 2.58	0.936

Values are Mean ± S.D

Statistically significant by t-test (p<0.05)

FCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on feet

HFCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on hands and feet

Table 6

Pattern Identification in Both Groups

Classification	FCG(n=38)	HFCG(n=74)	p-value
Qi deficiency	31 (36.90%)	46 (34.59%)	0.036*
Yang deficiency	28 (33.33%)	37 (27.82%)	0.016*
Blood deficiency	14 (16.67%)	27 (20.30%)	0.970
Yin deficiency	5 (5.95%)	12 (9.02%)	0.669
Fluid deficiency	0	0	0
Static blood	3 (3.57%)	7 (5.26%)	1.000
Dampness phlegm	3 (3.57%)	1 (0.75%)	0.112
Excess heat	0	0	0
Qi stagnation	0	3 (2.26%)	0.321

Values are number(%)

Statistically significant by chi-square test (p<0.05)

FCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on feet

HFCG: The group of patients who meet the criteria for diagnosis of coldness on hands and feet