Oregon Health & Science University, 4116 SE Oak Street, Portland, OR 97214, USA.
Acupunct Med. 2011 Sep;29(3):221-6. doi: 10.1136/aim.2010.003012. Epub 2011 May 20.
There are many commercially available instruments for measuring electrical conductance, but there is little information about their reliability. The aim of this study was to quantify measurement variability and assess reliability of the AcuGraph system-a commonly used electrodermal screening device.
Four experiments were conducted to measure variability in electrical conductance readings obtained by the AcuGraph system. The first involved measuring known resistors. The second measured non-human organic matter. The third was a test-retest assessment of the Yuan-Source and Jing-Well points in 30 healthy volunteers who were measured by a single operator. The fourth was an interoperator reliability evaluation of seven acupuncturists at the Yuan-Source and Jing-Well acupoints on four individuals at two time points.
Against known resistors, the AcuGraph had an average coefficient of variability (CV) of 1.8% between operators and test-retests. On non-human organic material the AcuGraph had an average CV of 0.9% and 2.8%. When a single operator tested 30 participants, the average reliability for the Yuan-Source points was 0.86 and 0.76 for Jing-Well points with a CV of 23.2% and 25.9% respectively. The average CV for the seven acupuncturists was 24.5% on Yuan-Source points and 23.7% on Jing-Well points.
The AcuGraph measures known resistors and organic matter accurately and reliably. Skin conductance at acupoints recorded by one operator was also reliable. There was less consistency in electrodermal recordings obtained by seven different operators. Operator training and technical improvements to the AcuGraph may improve consistency among operators.
有许多商业上可获得的用于测量电导率的仪器，但关于其可靠性的信息很少。本研究的目的是量化 AcuGraph 系统——一种常用的皮肤电反应筛选设备——的测量变异性并评估其可靠性。
进行了四项实验来测量 AcuGraph 系统获得的电导率读数的变异性。第一项涉及测量已知电阻器。第二项测量非人体有机物质。第三项是对 30 名健康志愿者的元源和井穴进行的测试-再测试评估，由单个操作员进行测量。第四项是对 7 名针灸师在元源和井穴上的操作者间可靠性评估，在 4 名个体上进行两次测量。
与已知电阻器相比，AcuGraph 系统的操作者间和测试-再测试间平均变异系数（CV）为 1.8%。对于非人体有机材料，AcuGraph 系统的平均 CV 为 0.9%和 2.8%。当单个操作员测试 30 名参与者时，元源点的平均可靠性为 0.86，井穴点的平均可靠性为 0.76，CV 分别为 23.2%和 25.9%。7 名针灸师的平均 CV 分别为元源点的 24.5%和井穴点的 23.7%。
AcuGraph 系统准确可靠地测量已知电阻器和有机物质。由一名操作员记录的穴位皮肤电导率也是可靠的。由 7 名不同操作员获得的皮肤电反应记录一致性较差。对 AcuGraph 系统进行操作员培训和技术改进可能会提高操作员之间的一致性。
