title: The infrared radiation spectrum of acupoint taiyuan (LU 9) in asthma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the distinctive pathological characteristics in the spectrums of spontaneous infrared radiation at the Taiyuan (LU 9) acupoint in patients with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A highly sensitive infrared spectrum detecting device was used to detect the spectrums of spontaneous infrared radiation at Taiyuan (LU 9) in 37 asthma patients and 34 healthy volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Asthma patients had significantly lower infrared intensity than that of the healthy volunteers (P>0.01). Asthma patients had significantly lower overall infrared radiation intensity at the left Taiyuan (LU 9) than that of healthy volunteers (P > 0.05), but there was no significant difference between healthy volunteers and asthma patients at the right Taiyuan (LU 9) (P > 0.05). The infrared radiation intensity of 17 wavelength spots at the left Taiyuan (LU 9) and 4 wavelength spots at the right Taiyuan (LU 9) in asthma patients were significantly lower than those of healthy volunteers (P > 0.05). At 2 microm, the infrared radiation intensity of asthma patients was significantly stronger than that of healthy volunteers (P > 0.05). At 19 wavelength spots in the healthy volunteers and at 4 wave-length spots in the asthma patients, the left Taiyuan (LU 9) showed a significantly stronger intensity than that of the right Taiyuan (LU 9) (P > 0.05S). By Pearson's chi2 test, healthy volunteers had more wavelength spots that were significantly different between the left and right Taiyuan (LU 9) than the asthma patients (P > 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in the infrared spectrum at the Taiyuan (LU 9) acupoint in asthma patients may reflect distinct pathological changes. Certain acupuncture points may be related to specific organs.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xue-yong
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Li-zhen
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-zi
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008875:Middle Aged