Radial artery hemodynamic changes related to acupuncture.
BACKGROUND
Assessment of the radial pulse by palpation (pulse diagnosis) is an important diagnostic technique in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), but the changes of blood flow volume in the radial artery during and after acupuncture are unknown.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to explore the changes of radial artery blood flow volume during and after acupuncture in healthy subjects.


METHODS
This study was conducted as a pilot study utilizing a one-group intervention design.


METHODS
The study was conducted at a TCM outpatient clinic of Tohoku University Hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-six healthy volunteers participated in the study.


METHODS
Acupuncture was performed at LR-3 bilaterally with manual rotation of the needles.


METHODS
Blood pressure was measured at rest and 180 seconds after acupuncture. Radial artery hemodynamics were monitored continuously with a high-resolution ultrasound echo-tracking system. The vessel diameter and blood flow volume of the right radial artery and heart rate were measured at rest, before acupuncture, during acupuncture, and 30, 60, and 180 seconds after acupuncture.


RESULTS
The systolic and diastolic diameter of the radial artery did not significantly change. Radial artery blood flow volume decreased significantly during acupuncture (mean +/- SD, 0.16 +/- 0.11 mL/sec per m(2); P < .01) compared with baseline (0.43 +/- 0.27 mL/sec per m(2)), but was increased at 180 seconds after acupuncture (0.54 +/- 0.28 mL/sec per m(2); P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
The present study showed that radial artery blood flow volume decreased immediately during acupuncture at the LR-3 acupoint, but was increased at 180 seconds after acupuncture.
Takayama
Shin
S
Center for Asian Traditional Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Seki
Takashi
T
Sugita
Norihiro
N
Konno
Satoshi
S
Arai
Hiroyuki
H
Saijo
Yoshifumi
Y
Yambe
Tomoyuki
T
Yaegashi
Nobuo
N
Yoshizawa
Makoto
M
Nitta
Shin-ichi
S
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography