Chou Pei-Chi, Huang Yu-Chuen, Hsueh Chun-Jen, Lin Jaung-Geng, Chu Heng-Yi
School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital Eastern Branch, Taichung, Taiwan.
School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
BMJ Open. 2015 Jul 29;5(7):e007819. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-007819.
There are safety issues associated with acupuncture treatment. Previous studies regarding needling depth of acupuncture points revealed inconsistent results due to vague depth definition, acupuncture point localisation and measuring tools. The objective of this study is to find and compare the differences of the mean depths of 11 acupuncture points in the neck and shoulder region between subjects, with variables including gender and body mass index (BMI).
This study was conducted at a single medical center in Taiwan.
Three hundred and ninety-four participants were included in this study. Participants were grouped according to gender and BMI. Acupuncture points were localised by WHO standard and measured by MRI.
The distance from the needle insertion point (surface of the skin) to any tissues that would cause possible/severe complications.
Mean depths of 11 points were obtained in groups of different BMI and gender. Mean depths of all participants regardless of BMI and gender are as follows, in centimetres: GB21=5.6, SI14=5.2, SI15=8.8, GV15=4.9, GV16=4.6, GB20=5.0, ST9=1.6, SI16=1.8, SI17=2.4, TE16=3.1, LI18=1.3. Participants with higher BMI had greater measured depths in both gender groups. Male participants had larger mean depths than female participants regardless of BMI except in SI17 and LI18. When taking BMI into consideration, depths in male participants are greater than in female participants in most of the points except the following: GB21, TE16 in obesity group; ST9 in underweight and obesity group; SI16 in ideal body weight, overweight and obesity group; SI17, LI18 in each group.
Participants with higher BMI had greater measured depths and males tended to have greater depths in most of the points. Clinical practitioners are recommended to consider this information to prevent complications when applying acupuncture treatment to their patients.
针刺治疗存在安全问题。以往关于穴位针刺深度的研究由于深度定义模糊、穴位定位和测量工具等原因，结果不一致。本研究的目的是找出并比较受试者颈部和肩部区域11个穴位的平均深度差异，变量包括性别和体重指数（BMI）。
本研究在台湾的一个医疗中心进行。
本研究纳入了394名参与者。参与者按性别和BMI分组。穴位按照世界卫生组织标准定位，并通过磁共振成像（MRI）测量。
从进针点（皮肤表面）到任何可能导致并发症/严重并发症的组织的距离。
获得了不同BMI和性别的组中11个穴位的平均深度。无论BMI和性别，所有参与者的平均深度如下（单位：厘米）：肩井（GB21）=5.6，肩外俞（SI14）=5.2，肩中俞（SI15）=8.8，百会（GV15）=4.9，风府（GV16）=4.6，天柱（GB20）=5.0，人迎（ST9）=1.6，天宗（SI16）=1.8，秉风（SI17）=2.4，天髎（TE16）=3.1，扶突（LI18）=1.3。BMI较高的参与者在两个性别组中的测量深度都更大。无论BMI如何，男性参与者的平均深度都大于女性参与者，但在秉风（SI17）和扶突（LI18）除外。考虑BMI时，除以下情况外，大多数穴位男性参与者的深度大于女性参与者：肥胖组的肩井（GB21）、天髎（TE16）；体重过轻和肥胖组的人迎（ST9）；理想体重、超重和肥胖组的天宗（SI16）；每组中的秉风（SI17）、扶突（LI18）。
BMI较高的参与者测量深度更大，且大多数穴位男性的深度往往更大。建议临床医生在对患者进行针刺治疗时考虑这些信息以预防并发症。
