Objective To explore the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） syndromes and syndrome elements distribution of hepatitis B virus（HBV）-related hepatocirrhosis by literature review. Methods Chinese Journal Full-text Database

Chinese Sci-tech Periodical Database

Wanfang Database Publishing Platform

China Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and MEDLINE

EMBASE

Web of knowledge

Cochrane library database were searched from January 1

1963 to December 31

2018

and the clinical research literature on HBV-related hepatocirrhosis were included. The characteristics of TCM syndromes and syndrome elements of patients included in the literature were analyzed. Results A total of 81 papers were included. There were 11?912 patients with HBV-related hepatocirrhosis

including 1780 patients with compensated stage and 2942 patients with decompensation stage. The top 5 TCM syndromes without accompanied symptoms were internal accumulation of damp heat

yin deficiency of liver and kidney

blood stasis obstructing the collaterals

liver depression and spleen deficiency

liver depression and qi stagnation

accounting 58.23% in total. Taken accompanied symptoms into consideration

the top 5 was internal accumulation of damp heat

liver depression and spleen deficiency

blood stasis obstructing the collaterals

yin deficiency of liver and kidney and liver depression and qi stagnation

accounting 72.49% in total. The syndrome elements of disease location were the liver and the spleen

with a total frequency of 75.53%. The syndrome elements of the disease nature were dampness

qi stagnation

qi deficiency

heat

blood stasis

accounting 86.85% in total frequency. The major TCM syndromes in compensated stage were internal accumulation of damp heat

liver depression and qi stagnation

blood stasis obstructing the collaterals. The syndromes in decompensated stage were internal accumulation of damp heat

yang deficiency of the spleen and kidney

yin deficiency of the liver and kidney. There were 8 compound syndromes and 19 complex syndromes in the decompensated stage

which were significantly increased than 3 compound syndromes and 7 complex syndromes in the compensated stage. Conclusion The core pathogenesis of HBV-related hepatocirrhosis is liver depression and spleen deficiency and intermingled damp

blood stasis

and heat. The syndromes and syndrome elements are becoming complex.