A 70-year-old patient with scrofula corresponds to which TCM pattern?

Scrofula, which refers to swollen lymph nodes often associated with tuberculosis, can be related to a deficiency in the body's defenses, particularly in the Lung and Kidney systems in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The concept of "deficiency generating fire" indicates that a lack of fundamental energy or resources in the body can lead to an overactivity of Yang energy, which manifests as heat or inflammation.

In this case, the Lung function is involved in managing the body’s respiratory health and maintaining fluid balance, while the Kidney is integral to overall vitality and the body's ability to resist pathogens. When both of these systems are deficient, they struggle to control internal heat, resulting in symptoms such as swollen glands, night sweats, and a propensity for infections, which are characteristic of scrofula.

The other patterns, like stagnant liver qi generating fire or excess stomach qi generating heat, do not address the fundamental weakness involved in the patient, which is central to the diagnosis in TCM for someone with scrofula. Therefore, the combination of deficient Lung and Kidney leading to the generation of fire fits the clinical picture best for this patient's condition.