title: Effect of acupuncture at HT7 on heart rate variability: an exploratory study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of acupuncture at HT7 on heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  120 subjects were divided into four groups using a random number table. The following groups of acupuncture interventions were used: HT7 verum acupuncture; HT7 non-penetrating sham acupuncture; acupuncture at a sham point; and no acupuncture. HRV was recorded 10 min before, during and after each stimulation using an Actiheart ECG recorder.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HT7 verum acupuncture group had higher very-low frequency, low frequency and high frequency components of HRV compared with the control groups during but not after acupuncture. The HT7 verum acupuncture group also had higher SD of normal intervals compared with the sham needling and no acupuncture control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary study suggests, subject to limitations, that acupuncture at HT7 could affect cardiac autonomic neural regulation in healthy subjects, manifest as increased HRV, most likely via the parasympathetic system.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ChiCTR-TRC-08000302.
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Huanlin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Junqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: The First Clinical Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Jixuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: The First Clinical Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Junxian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Liwan District TCM Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Hanbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Erchuan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Renyong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Ole Bernt
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Fasmer
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Gustav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wik
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acupuncture; HT7; Shenmen; autonomic nervous system; heart rate variability; sham acupuncture