Center for Asian Traditional Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Jul;16(7):707-13. doi: 10.1089/acm.2009.0355.
Pulse diagnosis of the peripheral artery is an important technique in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where, in acupuncture therapy, the treatment is adjusted according to the observed changes of the pulse. We investigated the change of blood flow in the peripheral artery and the cardiac index during acupuncture treatment.
The aim of this study is to explore the effect of acupuncture on radial and brachial artery blood flow volume and the cardiac index in healthy subjects.
Eighteen (18) healthy volunteers were enrolled. Acupuncture was performed bilaterally on LR-3 with manual rotation of the needles. The blood pressure and heart rate were measured at rest and 180 seconds after acupuncture. Radial and brachial artery blood flow volume was monitored continuously by an ultrasound with an echo-tracking system. Cardiac index was measured by impedance cardiography. The hemodynamic parameters were measured before, during, and 30, 60, 180 seconds after acupuncture.
The peripheral artery blood flow volume decreased significantly during acupuncture (radial; p < 0.01, brachial; p < 0.05) but increased at 180 seconds after acupuncture (radial; p < 0.05, brachial; p < 0.05) compared with before acupuncture. The cardiac index did not change significantly after acupuncture, but systemic vascular resistance index significantly decreased (p < 0.05).
The present study showed that radial and brachial artery blood flow volume decreased immediately during acupuncture on LR-3 acupoint, but increased at 180 seconds after acupuncture. This reaction is attributed to the change in peripheral vascular resistance.
脉象诊断是中医的重要技术，在针灸治疗中，根据脉象的观察变化来调整治疗方法。我们研究了针灸治疗过程中外周动脉血流和心指数的变化。
本研究旨在探讨针灸对健康受试者桡动脉和肱动脉血流量及心指数的影响。
纳入 18 名健康志愿者。双侧 LR-3 穴位用手动旋转针进行针刺。在针刺前、针刺后 180 秒测量血压和心率。用超声心动图仪连续监测桡动脉和肱动脉血流量。通过阻抗心动图法测量心指数。在针刺前、针刺期间和针刺后 30、60、180 秒测量血流动力学参数。
针刺期间外周动脉血流量明显减少（桡动脉：p<0.01，肱动脉：p<0.05），但在针刺后 180 秒时增加（桡动脉：p<0.05，肱动脉：p<0.05）与针刺前相比。针刺后心指数无明显变化，但全身血管阻力指数明显降低（p<0.05）。
本研究表明，针刺 LR-3 穴位后桡动脉和肱动脉血流量立即减少，但在 180 秒后增加。这种反应归因于外周血管阻力的变化。
