Objective To explore the distribution and main combination characteristics of Chinese medicine syndrome elements in multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis（MDR-PTB） patients. Methods Through multicenter cross-sectional clinical epidemiological investigation

the researchers collected the Chinese medicine symptoms

signs

tongue and pulse information in patients with MDR-PTB. Using Epidata 3. 1 software to establish MDR-PTB syndrome database

using the syndrome elements and syndrome criteria as the standard

analyzed the distribution and main combination characteristics of Chinese medicine syndrome elements of this disease. Results Totally selected139 symptoms and signs as the Chinese medicine diagnosis elements. Among them

29 signs and symptoms had the frequency higher than 10%

while 7 signs and symptoms（fine pulse

shortness of breath

sweating

spiritlessness

fatigue

low-fever and thirst） had the frequency higher than 30%. In 740 patients

169 cases（22. 84%） had single syndrome element

216（29. 19%） had 2 syndrome elements

126（17. 03%） had 3 syndromes elements

47（6. 35%） had 4 syndrome elements

16（2. 16%） had 4 syndrome elements. The other 166 patients were unable to determine the syndrome elements for this disease. In the single element group

Qi-deficiency is commonest. There are9 combinations in the 216 patients with 2 syndrome elements

in which "Qi-deficiency + yin-deficiency"had the highest frequency（64. 81%）. There are 9 combinations in the 126 patients with 3 syndrome elements

with "Yindeficiency + fire-excess + sputum-accumulation "（38. 10%） and "Qi-deficiency + yin-deficiency + yangdeficiency"（31. 75%） more common. "Qi-deficiency + yin-deficiency + fire-excess + sputum-accumulation"was commonest in the 4 syndrome element group（44. 68%）. All of the 16 patients with 5 syndrome elements were "Qideficiency + yin-deficiency + yang-deficiency + fire-excess + sputum-accumulation ". Conclusion In MDRPTB patients

Qi deficiency seems to be the most common syndrome element

while Qi deficiency and yin-deficiency combined with fire-excess and/or sputum-accumulation could be the main combinations.