Objective To study the distributions and combinations of elements of TCM syndromes in depression patients.Methods Two consultant doctors were engaged to determine the elements of TCM syndromes and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale（HAMA） and Hamilton Depression Scale（HAMD） were adopted to evaluate the severity of anxiety and depression of the patients in the observation.Results The qi and blood deficiency were the basic syndromes

occupying 100%

qi stagnation syndrome occupied 98%

fire heat 89%

blood stasis syndrome 43%

phlegm retention syndrome 36%

and yin deficiency syndrome 22%.The TCM syndrome of depression took usually 4

5

6 elements in combination.The cluster analysis showed that the qi stagnation

fire heat

and yin deficiency were commonly clustered with each other

while the phlegm retention and blood stasis were often in combination.The Logistic regression analysis showed that those patients accompanied with anxiety usually had blood stasis.Conclusion Depression is of deficiency in root and excess in symptom.Root-deficiency takes qi and blood deficiency

and with yin involved in deficiency

as common syndromes.Symptom-excess takes qi stagnation

fire heat

phlegm retention

and blood stasis as common elements of syndromes.Of the pathological conditions

the severity of depression can be expressed by whether there is blood stasis or not.