Can heat and cold be parameterized? Clinical data of a preliminary study

Publication type:
Journal article
Metadata:
Autoren
  • CA Doenitz
DOI
10.3736/jcim20120508
ISSN
1672-1977
Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung
5
Zeitschrift
Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine
Paginierung
532 - 537
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2012
Status
Published
Herausgeber
Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine Press
Herausgeber URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.3736/jcim20120508
Datum der Datenerfassung
2017
Titel
Can heat and cold be parameterized? Clinical data of a preliminary study
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
10

Data source: Crossref

Other metadata sources:
Abstract
<h4>Objective</h4>The aim of this study was to demonstrate whether it is possible to objectively assess the effects of acupuncture by microcirculation-related parameters in the given clinical scenario, to evaluate the significance of the status of capillary perfusion prior to acupuncture for the treatment of a clinical cold pattern, and to evaluate the possible role of microcirculation-related parameters for the future parameterization of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnosis.<h4>Methods</h4>This prospective, uncontrolled, unblinded preliminary clinical trial included 32 elderly patients after surgical treatment for femoral fractures. For acupuncture treatment the patients received acupuncture with the "leopard spot technique" on the stomach meridian (Liangqiu, S34/ST34). Measurements of microcirculation-related parameters (velocity, blood flow, haemoglobin, oxygen saturation) by white light spectroscopy and laser Doppler were performed prior to and after acupuncture treatment.<h4>Results</h4>Two subgroups of patients after femur fracture could be identified: a low- and a high-perfusion group. Capillary flow velocity and blood flow were significantly augmented by acupuncture in the low-perfusion group only. In the high-perfusion group, there was no significant change of perfusion after acupuncture. The statistical analysis of all patients regardless of their pre-acupuncture perfusion status revealed no statistically significant alteration after acupuncture. The acupuncture effect may have been masked by the inhomogeneity of the overall group.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Microcirculation-related parameters may be valuable to measure acupuncture effects objectively and to characterize the vegetative functions prior to acupuncture so as to homogenize the comparison groups in clinical trials. In our example, a local cold pattern (low capillary perfusion of the leg) could be treated successfully by a point which enhances qi and blood flow, whereas in heat pattern (high capillary perfusion) this intervention had no such effect. Future studies may be directed to correlate the vegetative status as measurable by TCM vegetative parameters with the key symptoms of TCM diagnosis.
Addresses
  • Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Autoren
  • Christoph A Doenitz
  • Ana Anjos
  • Thomas Efferth
  • Thomas Efferth
  • Tobias Greten
  • Henry J Greten
DOI
10.3736/jcim20120508
Externe Identifier
  • PubMed Identifier: 22587975
Open access
false
ISSN
1672-1977
Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung
5
Zeitschrift
Zhong xi yi jie he xue bao = Journal of Chinese integrative medicine
Schlüsselwörter
  • Microcirculation
  • Humans
  • Femoral Fractures
  • Acupuncture Therapy
  • Meridians
  • Acupuncture Points
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Prospective Studies
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Male
Sprache
eng
Medium
Print
Paginierung
532 - 537
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2012
Status
Published
Datum der Datenerfassung
2012
Titel
Can heat and cold be parameterized? Clinical data of a preliminary study.
Sub types
  • Journal Article
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
10

Data source: Europe PubMed Central

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to demonstrate whether it is possible to objectively assess the effects of acupuncture by microcirculation-related parameters in the given clinical scenario, to evaluate the significance of the status of capillary perfusion prior to acupuncture for the treatment of a clinical cold pattern, and to evaluate the possible role of microcirculation-related parameters for the future parameterization of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnosis. METHODS: This prospective, uncontrolled, unblinded preliminary clinical trial included 32 elderly patients after surgical treatment for femoral fractures. For acupuncture treatment the patients received acupuncture with the "leopard spot technique" on the stomach meridian (Liangqiu, S34/ST34). Measurements of microcirculation-related parameters (velocity, blood flow, haemoglobin, oxygen saturation) by white light spectroscopy and laser Doppler were performed prior to and after acupuncture treatment. RESULTS: Two subgroups of patients after femur fracture could be identified: a low- and a high-perfusion group. Capillary flow velocity and blood flow were significantly augmented by acupuncture in the low-perfusion group only. In the high-perfusion group, there was no significant change of perfusion after acupuncture. The statistical analysis of all patients regardless of their pre-acupuncture perfusion status revealed no statistically significant alteration after acupuncture. The acupuncture effect may have been masked by the inhomogeneity of the overall group. CONCLUSION: Microcirculation-related parameters may be valuable to measure acupuncture effects objectively and to characterize the vegetative functions prior to acupuncture so as to homogenize the comparison groups in clinical trials. In our example, a local cold pattern (low capillary perfusion of the leg) could be treated successfully by a point which enhances qi and blood flow, whereas in heat pattern (high capillary perfusion) this intervention had no such effect. Future studies may be directed to correlate the vegetative status as measurable by TCM vegetative parameters with the key symptoms of TCM diagnosis.
Autoren
  • Christoph A Doenitz
  • Ana Anjos
  • Thomas Efferth
  • Tobias Greten
  • Henry J Greten
Autoren-URL
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22587975
DOI
10.3736/jcim20120508
ISSN
1672-1977
Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung
5
Zeitschrift
Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao
Schlüsselwörter
  • Acupuncture Points
  • Acupuncture Therapy
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Femoral Fractures
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Meridians
  • Microcirculation
  • Prospective Studies
Sprache
eng
Country
China
Paginierung
532 - 537
PII
jcim20120508
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2012
Status
Published
Datum, an dem der Datensatz öffentlich gemacht wurde
2013
Titel
Can heat and cold be parameterized? Clinical data of a preliminary study.
Sub types
  • Journal Article
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
10

Data source: PubMed

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