Bodily differences between Cold- and Heat-prescription groups in Sasang medicine

BACKGROUND: In Sasang medicine, patients are treated with herbal prescriptions based on Cold-Heat patterns induced by conditions of physiological equilibrium among internal organs, which also induce differences in body circumferences. The objective of the current study was to elucidate the relationship between Cold- and Heat-prescription types and body circumferences. METHODS: Data from suitable subjects (115 males and 222 females) were collected, and the body circumferences were compared according to their Cold- and Heat-prescription grouping. For male subjects with significant body circumference differences between the Cold- and Heat-prescription groups, the body circumference ratios were analyzed by comparing the differences between these groups using ranked analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). RESULTS: In men, consistent differences were observed in the body circumference measures and ratios between the Cold- and Heat-prescription groups. The Heat-prescription groups showed greater abdominal circumferences, notably demonstrated by a higher rib-to-pelvic circumference ratio in the Tae-Eum (TE) type (p = 0.041) and a higher chest-to-hip circumference ratio in the So-Yang (SY) type (p = 0.087). CONCLUSION: In the SY-type men, the chest circumference was significantly greater in the Heat-prescription group compared to the Cold-prescription group. In the TE-type men, the rib-to-pelvic circumference ratio was significantly higher in the Heat-prescription group than in the Cold-prescription group.