Research progression of traditional Chinese medicine–Western medicine integration in the diagnosis and treatment of moyamoya vasculopathy

Moyamoya vasculopathy (MMV) refers to a chronic cerebrovascular disease characterized by progressive stenosis or occlusion of the arteries around the circle of Willis, accompanied by the formation of collateral vessels. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), MMV falls into the categories of “stroke”, “vertigo”, and “headache”, among others. Its core etiology is related to congenital insufficiency and acquired malnourishment, with wind, fire, phlegm, deficiency, and stasis as the key pathogenic factors. Current Western medical diagnosis and treatment of MMV remain suboptimal, and TCM pattern differentiation has yet to be standardized. The most common clinical patterns are liver yang hyperactivity (associated with hemorrhagic symptoms) and qi deficiency with blood stasis (associated with ischemic symptoms). Treatment modalities include acupuncture, Chinese herbal formulas, and TCM–Western medicine integrated therapy. Clinical trial results have confirmed that integrated therapy offers certain benefits for MMV; however, there is a lack of relevant diagnostic and treatment guidelines as well as in-depth mechanistic studies. This article reviews the progress in TCM and Western medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of MMV and proposes a trinity diagnostic and therapeutic approach integrating “disease differentiation–pattern differentiation–staging”, which lays a clinical foundation for TCM–Western medicine integration management.