Objective  To explore distribution rules of traditonal Chinese medicine syndromes of patients with reflux esophagitis and chronic cholecystitis.

  Methods  The general information, symptoms, risk factors and esophagitis gradings under gastroscopy of 313 patients with reflux esophagitis and chronic cholecystitis were analyzed.

  Results  The ranking of syndromes of patients with reflux esophagitis and chronic cholecystitis from high to low were as follows: liver depression and spleen deficiency, interactions of cold and heat, depression of liver and heat in stomach, qi stagnation and phlegm obstructing, disharmony of liver and stomach, blood stasis due to qi stagnation, dampness-heat of liver and spleen, liver-gallbladder dampness-heat, liver-stomach yin deficiency. Patients with mental factors were more likely to have syndromes of liver depression and spleen deficiency, and disharmony of liver and stomach, while those with high-fat spicy diet and drinking were more likely to have syndromes of stagnation of heat in liver and stomach and damp-heat in liver and spleen, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  The main traditonal Chinese medicine syndromes of patients with reflux esophagitis and chronic cholecystitis are liver depression and spleen deficiency, deficiency-excess complex, with deficiency as the main cause. Clinically, we should pay attention to treatment principles of soothing the liver, relieving depression and invigorating the spleen, as well as applying psychological treatment.