关键词: 再发性腹痛, 幽门螺杆菌, 数据挖掘, 儿童

Abstract:

Objective To analyze the prescription patterns of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection-related recurrent abdominal pain in children based on data mining. Methods Clinical traditional Chinese medicine prescription data were collected from children with Helicobacter pylori infection-related recurrent abdominal pain who attended the pediatric outpatient department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2024 to September 2025, and a prescription database was subsequently established. The properties, flavors, meridian tropisms, and use frequencies of the drugs were statistically analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Association rule analysis and cluster analysis were performed with R language to identify core drug combinations. Results A total of 86 children were included, yielding 104 effective prescriptions involving 98 Chinese herbal medicines. The medicinal properties were predominantly warm, cold, and neutral; the flavors were mainly sweet, bitter, and pungent; the meridian tropisms were concentrated in the stomach, spleen, lung, and liver meridians. The top 10 high-frequency drugs were Chaihu(Bupleuri Radix, 90 times), Yanhusuo(Corydalis Rhizoma, 72 times), Shenqu(Massa Medicata Fermentata, 71 times), Chenpi(Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, 61 times), Baishao(Paeoniae Radix Alba, 52 times), Laifuzi(Raphani Semen, 52 times), Shanyao(Dioscoreae Rhizoma, 52 times), Sharen(Amomi Fructus, 51 times), Huangqin(Scutellariae Radix, 50 times), and Baizhu(Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, 50 times). Association rule analysis revealed that the top 5 combinations were as follows: {Yanhusuo, Zheshi(Haematitum)}?{Xuanfuhua(Inulae Flos)}, {Yanhusuo, Shenqu, Baizhu} ? {Fuling(Poria)}, {Chaihu, Yanhusuo, Shenqu, Baizhu}?{Fuling}, {Chaihu, Shenqu, Zheshi} ? {Xuanfuhua}, and {Shenqu, Chenpi, Baizhu}?{Fuling}. Cluster analysis categorized the high-frequency drugs into 5 classes: C1 included Sharen, Laifuzi, Jineijin(Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum), Shanzha(Crataegi Fructus), and Houpo(Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex); C2 included Chenpi, Chaihu, Yanhusuo, and Shenqu; C3 included Muxiang(Aucklandiae Radix), Baizhu, Fuling, Baishao, Ezhu(Curcumae Rhizoma), and Shanyao; C4 consisted of Zheshi, Xuanfuhua, and Zhiqiao(Aurantii Fructus); C5(herbal pair) comprised Huangqin and Huanglian(Coptidis Rhizoma). Based on the high-frequency drugs, association rules, and clustering results, "Chaihu-Yanhusuo-Shenqu-Baizhu-Fuling" was identified as the core prescription. Conclusion The treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection-related recurrent abdominal pain in children follows the principles of supporting healthy Qi and eliminating pathogenic factors, and invigorating the spleen and protecting the stomach. "Chaihu–Yanhusuo–Shenqu–Baizhu–Fuling" can be recommended as the core prescription.

Key words: Recurrent abdominal pain, Helicobacter pylori, Data mining, Child