None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Pulse examination, that reveals information about qi and blood circulation of the human body, is a very important diagnostic tool in Traditional Chinese Medicine. According to Shanghan Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases), a hard press to the bone (hence have the pulse diminish) followed by a very slight lifting to detect the presence and quickness of a re-pulsation or refilling, a manipulation called “examining the root”, is to evaluate the original (Shao Yin) qi. Based on clinical observation, performing acupuncture on specific acupoints could recover the root of pulse toward normal, and it is regarded working through deploying body qi to Shao Yin area to restore inner energy. Therefore, acupuncture physician would adjust qi and blood circulation depending on this thinking process. This model is reasonable, but the problem is “physician’s fingers” lacks objective parameters to quantify the pulse. Capillary refill time (CRT), determined by applying pressure on a finger and measuring the time until perfusion returns, is a simple bedside tool for assessing the circulation status. Prolonged CRT has been shown to be an early marker of inadequate tissue perfusion in acute circulatory shock. Interestingly, this maneuver has similar manipulation with “examining the root of pulse but different on the site performed and in the parameter measured. Therefore, we designed this trial to evaluate whether acupuncture intervention could change CRT. 60 subjects will be enrolled into this trial. We measure CRT, Q-CRT, blood pressure, heart rate, and core body temperature before and after acupuncture intervention, and again 30 min later after removal of needle.
Interventions
We will perform acupuncture on bilateral KI3, LI4 and ST36 acupoints in 60 healthy volunteers. KI3 locates on the medial aspect of the foot, posterior to the medial malleolus, in the depression between the tip of the medial malleolus and tendo calcaneus. LI4 locates on the dorsum of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones, in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side. ST36 locates on the anterior aspect of the lower leg, 3 cun below ST 35, one finger-breadth (middle fin
We will perform acupuncture on bilateral KI3, LI4 and ST36 acupoints in 60 healthy volunteers. KI3 locates on the medial aspect of the foot, posterior to the medial malleolus, in the depression between the tip of the medial malleolus and tendo calcaneus. LI4 locates on the dorsum of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones, in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side. ST36 locates on the anterior aspect of the lower leg, 3 cun below ST 35, one finger-breadth (middle finger) from the anterior crest of the tibia. Only one acupoint (bilateral) will be performed at one time with total two needles for each intervention, thus one subject will receive acupuncture for three times with each treatments separated at least 2 days. Needles will remain in place for 30 minutes for each intervention. Two Taiwan trained and licensed acupuncturists with a median of 15 years of experience will apply the needle.
Sponsors
Bo-Yan Yeh
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
subjects scheduled for acupuncture treatment in our clinic of acupuncture department
Exclusion criteria
subjects enrolled into other clinical trials, have infection disease or use antibiotics in recent two weeks, have impaired renal or liver function, an initial body temperature more than 38.0 degrees Celsius or less than 36.0 degrees Celsius, a known history of alcohol or substance abuse
Outcome results
None listed