AIMS To study the grading of pixu(spleen deficiency)syn- drome and the scientific basis of its relationship with absorption of D-Xylose and BT-PABA. METHODS The present study included 115 cases of chronic su- perficial gastritis,15 cases of chronic atrophic gastritis,19 cases of peptic ulcer and 34 cases of chronic colitis.All of them were diagnosed by endoscopy and biopsies.Chronic gastrointestinal diseases could be categorized into six types,namely,spleen and stomach asthenia syndrome(including asthenia and cold),dishar- mony between liver and stomach,damp and heat of spleen and stomach(bowel)syndrome,spleen-stomach-Yin deficiency,blood stasis and spleen-kidney-Yang deficiency.Grading of these syn- dromes were made with concomitant estimation of d-xylose and BT-PABA tests. RESULTS Patients with chronic gastrointestinal diseases showed diminished urinary level of d-xylosc and that of BT- PABA,as compared with normal,(P<0.05),except those with damp and heat of spleen-bowel syndrome.The excretory rate of d-xylosc was neary normal,while the levels of d-xylose and BT-PABA were lower than those of the normal,(P<0.05-0. 01).In regard to the grading of spleen deficiency and the dishar- mony between liver and stomach syndromes,the excretory rate of D-Xylose decreased gradually(P<0.01 )as the severity of symp- toms increased;in disharmony between liver and stomach syndrome,the excretory rate of BT-PABA also decreased(P<0. 01)as symptoms worsened.These provided scientific proofs for appraisal of the pathophysiology of these syndromes. CONCLUSIONS Changes of d-xylose can reflect the specifici- ty of pixu syndrome whereas changes of BT-PABA reflect the specificity of disharmony between liver and stomach syndrome.
