In vivo dc and ac measurements at acupuncture points in healthy and unhealthy people.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this work was to compare in vivo measurements of direct current (dc) and alternating current (ac) obtained from acupuncture points in Ukrainian and Mexican residents.


METHODS
Measurements were made using the method of Voll. The participants were 43 healthy Ukrainian and 71 healthy Mexican residents aged between 20 and 30 years, as well as 24 Mexican patients with a clinical diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and 14 patients with a clinical diagnosis of allergy.


RESULTS
The results showed that dc measurements are not directly applicable to different populations. Thus, the dc resistance of the acupuncture points in the Mexican participants was 4-5 times larger than in the Ukrainians. In contrast, the capacitance of the two groups did not differ by more than 25%.


CONCLUSIONS
Impedance measurements from acupuncture points can be used as an efficient and prompt non-invasive method for diagnostic purposes.
Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente # 2000, Fracc. Real de Juriquilla, Juriquilla, Qro, Mexico. prokhorov@ciateq.net.mx
E F
EF
Prokhorov
T E
TE
Prokhorova
J
J
González-Hernández
Yu A
YA
Kovalenko
F
F
Llamas
S
S
Moctezuma
H
H
Romero
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology; D017097:Electric Impedance; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000503:physiopathology; D008800:Mexico; D014455:Ukraine