Assessing the effects of acupuncture by comparing needling the hegu acupoint and needling nearby nonacupoints by spectral analysis of microcirculatory laser Doppler signals

Pressure stimulus study on acupuncture points with multi-channel multimode-fiber diffuse speckle contrast analysis (MMF-DSCA)

A multi-channel multimode-fiber deep tissue flowmetry system has been constructed based on diffuse speckle contrast analysis (DSCA) for simultaneous blood flow measurements at different locations on the human body. This system has been utilized in an acupuncture study within the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), primarily focusing on acupuncture points along the large intestine meridian. Deep tissue blood flow was monitored at four different acupuncture points (LI1, LI5, LI10, and ST25) with a sampling rate of 60 Hz while applying pressure stimulus on LI4 (hegu or hapgok). Although the blood flow index (BFI) and blood volume (BV) did not exhibit significant changes after the pressure stimulus, an increase in the amplitude and complexity of low-frequency oscillations (LFOs) in microcirculation was observed.

The Moxibustion-Induced Thermal Transport Effect Between the Heart and Lung Meridians With Infrared Thermography

Objectives

By comparing the differences in the thermal transport effect between the heart and lung meridians induced by moxibustion, this study aimed to investigate the specificity of site-to-site associations on the body surface between different meridians.

Methods

Eighty healthy participants were divided into the heart meridian intervention group and the lung meridian intervention group; moxibustion was performed at these two meridians, respectively. Baseline temperature and its change magnitude from baseline induced by moxibustion in 6 measuring sites of the heart and lung meridians were assessed by infrared thermography (IRT). Measuring sites included: Site 1 (Chize, LU5), Site 2 (midpoint of LU9 and LU5), Site 3 (Taiyuan, LU9), Site 4 (Shaohai, HT3), Site 5 (midpoint of HT7 and HT3), and Site 6 (Shenmen, HT7).

Results

Forty participants (20 male and 20 female, 27.90 ± 0.52 years) were assigned to the heart meridian intervention group, and 40 participants (20 male and 20 female, 28.08 ± 0.54 years) were assigned to the lung meridian intervention group. In the lung meridian intervention group (moxibustion over LU5), the temperature of the distal sites in the lung meridian increased significantly at 5, 10, and 15 min compared with pre-moxibustion (P < 0.001). The temperature of Site 4 in the heart meridian, which was nearest to the moxibustion site, increased significantly compared with pre-moxibustion (P < 0.05), while the temperature in the distal sites of the heart meridian did not differ significantly during moxibustion. Regarding the comparison of temperature change magnitude from baseline (ΔT) between the two meridians, the ΔT of Site 2 in the lung meridian was significantly higher than Site 4 in the heart meridian at 5 and 10 min after moxibustion (P < 0.05), despite that Site 2 was more distal from the moxibustion site than Site 4. Similarly, the ΔT of Site 3 in the lung meridian was significantly higher than Site 5 and Site 6 in the heart meridian at 5, 10, and 15 min after moxibustion (P < 0.05). In the heart meridian invervention group, similar thermal transport effect between the two meridians was observed. The thermal transport effect of the distal sites along the heart meridian was more significant than that of the site closer to the moxibustion site but located in the lung meridian. Taken together, aforementioned results indicated that the moxibustion-induced thermal transport effect between the heart and lung meridians is generally more significant in the distal sites along the corresponding meridian than that in the closer sites of the other meridian.

Conclusions

In the heart and lung meridians, the moxibustion-induced thermal transport effect is closely related to meridian routes, not just related to the absolute distance from the moxibustion site, thereby confirming the relative specificity of “site-to-site” associations on the body surface in these two meridians.

Systematic Review Registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05330403, identifier NCT05330403.

Pilot Study of Blood Perfusion Changes at PC4 and Its Surrounding Points Induced by Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Acupuncture and moxibustion are widely used in clinical practice; however, the differences between their mechanisms are unclear. In the present study, the response of blood perfusion resulting from acupuncture or moxibustion at Ximen (PC4) and its surrounding points was explored. Using the wavelet method, the differences in the frequency interval of blood flux were observed. Furthermore, the correlations between these points were analyzed. The results suggested that moxibustion could significantly improve blood flow perfusion at PC4 compared to acupuncture; however, there was no significant difference around PC4. The response of blood flux at PC4 to different stimulations was related to the frequency V (0.4–1.6 Hz) component. However, a difference in response at other points was not observed. Correlation analysis showed that both acupuncture and moxibustion could cause a decline in the correlation of blood flux signals at these recorded points, but there was no significant difference between these techniques. The results suggested that, at least in the forearm, the acupuncture or moxibustion only influenced the level of blood perfusion locally.

The difference in heat transport characteristics of the heart and lung meridians: A comparative study of COPD patients and healthy subjects

BACKGROUND

The vast majority of previous studies focused on the relationship between 1 meridian and 1 organ, and the comparison and specificity between 2 meridians is rarely explored. Thus, the aim of this study is to compare the heat transport characteristics between 2 different meridians and the specificity between them will also be investigated.

METHODS

The Lung and Heart meridians are chosen for comparison of 2 different meridians. We will enroll 120 subjects and divide them into the healthy control group, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) group and healthy intervention group, in a 1:1:1 ratio. Infrared thermography (IRT) will be used to assess the heat transport characteristics of the Heart and Lung meridians. The specificity for the meridian-visceral association will be investigated by comparing the difference in heat transport characteristic between the Heart and Lung meridians in the healthy control group and COPD group. Meanwhile, moxibustion will be given to subjects in the Heart meridian and Lung meridian respectively in the healthy intervention group to verify the specificity for the surface-surface association.

RESULTS

The primary outcomes will be the temperature of corresponding sites along the Heart and Lung meridians.

CONCLUSION

This study will verify the specificity between different meridians by comparing the difference in heat transport characteristic. The findings will guide the selection of acupoints to optimize the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and help determine whether IRT could be used to assist in the diagnosis of COPD.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study has been approved by the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Approval No. ZSLL-KY-2019-001G-01).

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS

NCT04046588.

The microcirculatory characteristics of the heart and lung meridians: Study protocol clinical trial (SPIRIT Compliant)

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the present study is to compare the microcirculatory difference of different meridians by using laser doppler flowmetry and investigate the specificity for the meridian-visceral association and site-to-site association between 2 specific meridians.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The Lung and Heart meridians are chosen as 2 specific studied meridians. 120 participants will be enrolled and divided into the healthy control group, chronic stable angina pectoris group and healthy intervention group. Laser doppler flowmetry will be used to assess the blood perfusion of the Heart and Lung meridians. The specificity for the meridian-visceral association will be investigated by comparing the microcirculatory difference between the Heart and Lung meridians in the healthy control group and chronic stable angina pectoris group. Besides, participants in the healthy intervention group will receive 2 sessions of moxibustion in the Heart meridian and Lung meridian, respectively, to explore the specificity for the site-to-site association on the body surface. Primary outcomes will be blood flow curve and blood perfusion units of relevant sites along the Heart and Lung meridians. Statistical analysis will be conducted by third party statisticians.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval (approval No: ZSLL-KY-2019-001A-01) has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University. The study findings will be disseminated through presentation at peer-reviewed medical journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04244812.

Exploring the relationship between the speed-resolved perfusion of blood flux and HRV following different thermal stimulations using MSE and MFE analyses

Our previous study employed the classic laser Doppler flux (LDF) to explore the complexity of local blood flow signals and their relationship with heart rate variability (HRV). However, microcirculation blood flow is composed of different velocity components. To investigate the complexity of local speed-resolved perfusion and HRV following stimulation with different temperatures in healthy subjects, multiscale entropy (MSE) and multiscale fuzzy entropy (MFE) were used to measure the complexity of local speed-resolved perfusion signals. MSE was also used to evaluate the complexity of HRV. The results indicated that thermal stimulation increased all components of local speed-resolved perfusion and that stimulation with different temperatures resulted in different changes in the complexity area index. However, the same stimulation had no effect on the MSE of HRV. Further research showed that 44°C thermal stimulation resulted in a weak correlation between the composite speed-resolved perfusion and the HRV complexity. The current study provides a new approach for studying the relationship between speed-resolved perfusion signals and cardiac function.

Use of Acupuncture in an Infant with Restlessness and Agitation

Abstract: Background: We are reporting here about a 3-month-old boy with a history of failure to thrive, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and neurological misbehaviour including hypotension in body muscles, who was found to have screaming attacks, agitation and restlessness. Methods/Results: Body and ear acupuncture was used both as supporting and integrative therapy to reduce the phases of restlessness and screaming and, simultaneously, the use of hypnotic drugs, as well as to improve the baby’s thriving. Conclusions: Our case has proved that standardised ear and body acupuncture applied by trained acupuncturist paediatricians is a helpful non-pharmacological treatment tool. While acupuncture is typically used in the outpatient setting, it can equally be used in the inpatient setting, as exemplified by the positive outcome of the presented case.

Exploring the Relationship between Blood Flux Signals and HRV following Different Thermal Stimulations using Complexity Analysis

To investigate the relationship between local blood flux and heart rate variability following different thermal stimulations, healthy subjects were recruited and subject to different thermal stimulations on the right forearm. Multiscale entropy and multiscale fuzzy entropy were used to measure the complexity of the local blood flux, and the approximate entropy was calculated to evaluate the HRV complexity. The results indicated that thermal stimulation significantly increased local blood flux and that different temperature stimulations resulted in different complexities in local blood flux. A 42 °C or 44 °C thermal stimulation, other than stimulations below 42 °C, resulted in a moderate correlation between local blood flux and heart rate variability complexity. The results provide a new perspective in terms of complexity to explore the relationship between skin blood flux signals and cardiac function.

Changes in Nitric Oxide Releases of the Contralateral Acupoint during and after Laser Acupuncture at Bilateral Same-Name Acupoints in Human

Objective

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of laser acupuncture (LA) at right Neiguan (RPC6)/left Neiguan (LPC6) acupoints on the releases of nitric oxide (NO) in the treated and contralateral/nontreated PC6, compared to the nonacupoint control area.

Methods

24 mW LA at RPC6, LPC6, and nonacupoint in 22 healthy subjects for 40 min: sterilized dialysis tube was taped to the nontreated PC6/nonacupoint during the treatment and immediately taped to the treated and nontreated PC6/nonacupoint after LA removal. NO-scavenging compound was injected into the tube for 40 min to absorb the molecular which was tested by spectrophotometry in a blinded fashion.

Results

LA-induced NO releases over PC6 acupoints for the nontreated and treated sides all significantly increased after LA removal, but for the nontreated acupoints they did not change during LA stimulation. LA at RPC6 induced the more release of the NO at contralateral side than stimulating LPC6, but not on nonacupoints. The results suggest that LA-induced NO release over contralateral acupoint and NO release resulting from the lateralized specificity all are different and specific to the acupoint within different time course.

Conclusions

LA-evoked NO release over acupoints could improve the neurogenic, endothelial activity of the vessel wall to further facilitate microcirculation.

Changes of Blood Flux at BL21 and Points along BL Meridian Resulted from Acupuncture or Moxibustion: Case Cross Design Study

Acupuncture (Acup) and moxibustion (Moxi) are commonly used interventions in clinical practice. However, the difference between Acup and moxibustion mechanisms is unclear. In current study, blood perfusion responses resulted from Acup or Moxi at Weishu acupoint (BL21) and control points were explored, respectively. The time series of blood flux signals at BL21 and control points were transformed with Morlet wavelet, and the differences in each frequency interval were observed. The results suggested that acupoint response to different stimulation is a comprehensive process which related to all components of blood perfusion signals. Whereas the different response at control points was not observed, there has been significant difference coherence value between Acup and Moxi stimulation. The results suggested the influence of Acup and Moxi not only on the level of blood perfusion at local area; the intrinsic relevance after stimulation which can be evaluated by coherence analysis is also an appropriate index to distinguish different stimulations.

Response of Blood Perfusion at ST 36 Acupoint after Drinking Cold Glucose or Saline Injection

Skin blood flux (SkBF) changes caused by drinking cold water are generally associated with vagal tone and osmotic factors in digestive system. According to acupuncture theory, change of SkBF at ST 36 might reflect the functional changes of digestive system. The aim of this study is to analyze the changes of SkBF after drinking 3°C 0.9% saline or 5% glucose injection by monitor blood flux at bilateral ST 36. The results indicated that, after drinking different cold water, the change ratio of SkBF at right side ST 36 has been different. Because all solutions have the same temperature (3°C) and both saline and glucose solution have the same osmolality, suggesting that the SkBF changes resulting from drinking cold water are not regulated just by the vagal tone and osmolality, there must have been other factors. These results have not been consistent with the frequency domain results of heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. Coherence analysis of blood flux signals at bilateral ST 36 indicated that there have been different coherence-frequency curves among different groups in special frequency bands, which suggested that coherence analysis might provide a potential tool to evaluate different status.

Acupuncture at KI3 in healthy volunteers induces specific cortical functional activity: an fMRI study

Background

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we determined brain regions that were activated/deactivated more by acupuncture at Taixi (KI3) than by non-acupoint or sham acupuncture.

Methods

A total of 30 healthy volunteers were randomly divided into a KI3 group (15 subjects) and non-acupoint group (15 subjects). Subjects in KI3 group received a sham acupuncture and then a real acupuncture, fMRI was performed before and after sham acupuncture as well as after ture acupuncture. Subjects in non-acupoint group received a ture acupuncture and the fMRI was performed before and after ture acupuncture. The fMRI data obtained were successively analyzed using DPARSF2.3 and REST1.8 software, yielding regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) values.

Results

Compared with sham acupuncture, ALFF values were higher in Brodmann area (BA) 10 and lower in BA7 and BA18. ReHo values after real acupuncture at KI3 were higher in the right sub-lobar region and BA10 and were lower in BA31. Compared with the changes before and after real acupuncture at non-acupoint, the changes at KI3 showed higher ALFF valued in the left cerebellum posterior lobe, BA10, BA39, BA31 and decreased ALFF was observed in the BA18, BA19 and BA40; and higher ReHo values were shown in left cerebellum posterior lobe pyramis, left cerebellum anterior lobe. BA37, BA10, BA39, BA31 and lower ReHo values were shown in BA18 and BA31.

Conclusion

Acupuncture at KI3 has a specific effect on certain brain regions associated with perception, body movement, spirit, and association. Additionally, visual and auditory cortices were affected, which may be related to the clinical applications of KI3 acupuncture in auditory and cognitive disorders, hypomnesis, loss of concentration, and the loss of ability to work and learn.

Trial registration

The research ethics committee was achieved at 01/08/2012, the NO. was ChiECRCT-2012011. Website for Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=7123.

This study was registered at www.chictr.org, the Clinical Trial Registration Number was ChiCTR-TRC-12002427, and the registration number was achieved at 18/08/2012. The name of IRB that provided approval for the study and clearly state is Chinese Clinical Trail Registry.

What is the Acupoint? A preliminary review of Acupoints

BACKGROUND

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, acupoints are specifically chosen sites of acupuncture manipulation, and also the basis for studying the mechanism of acupuncture. Stimulating different acupoints on the body surface could provide various therapeutic benefits. However, what is the acupoint? This question is not clear.

REVIEW SUMMARY

We focuse on examining the function of acupoints from different perspectives, including the local and the systemic effects of stimulating acupoints. For example, acupoints may release certain substances or incur some changes, which could adjust the function of organs, maintain homeostasis. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects of verum acupoints versus sham acupoints were discussed. However, due to insufficience in evidence and in current methodologies, research into mechanisms of acupuncture is still incomplete.

CONCLUSION

This review might explain, to some extent, what an acupoint is. Further research into the identity of acupoints is warranted, and multidisciplinary methods using novel technologies may yield significant advances over existing knowledge.

Changes of locoregional skin temperature in neonates undergoing laser needle acupuncture at the acupuncture point large intestine 4

Laser acupuncture bears a potential risk for the skin surface, especially in neonates whose skin has histological and physiological peculiarities. We evaluated thermal changes of skin temperature in neonates during laser acupuncture by using a thermal camera (Flir i5, Flir Systems Inc., Portland, USA). Laserneedles (Laserneedle GmbH, Glienicke/Nordbahn, Germany) were fixed to the skin at Large Intestine 4 (LI 4, Hegu), bilaterally. Before application of laser acupuncture (685 nm, 15 mW, 500 μm), as well as after 1, 5, and 10 min, thermographic pictures of both hands were taken. The measuring was carried out on the 23rd day after birth (20 neonates, mean postmenstrual gestational age 38 + 2, mean weight 2604 g). Compared to the initial temperature of 34.2°C on the right hand, the skin temperature had increased to 35.3°C (P < 0.05) after 5 min and up to 36.1°C (P < 0.05) after 10 min of stimulation. Equally, on the left hand, an increase of the skin temperature from 34.5°C to 35.9°C (P < 0.05) and 35.9°C (P < 0.05) was measured. The highest measured skin temperature after 10 min of stimulation amounted to 38.7°C, without any clinically visible changes on the skin surface.

Acupoint Activation: Response in Microcirculation and the Role of Mast Cells

BACKGROUND

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, acupuncture effects are based on the integrity function of meridians. Meridians are thought to regulate body function through the normal flow of qi and/or blood. Disturbances in this flow are thought to cause disease, and acupuncture techniques are believed to cure disease by regulating this flow. However, it is still difficult to understand the exact meaning of qi and to evaluate the activation of meridians. Thus, more and more attention has been focused on the relationship of acupuncture and circulation.

METHODS

In this narrative review, the authors focus on the state of the art in acupoint activation, microcirculation response, and on investigation of mast cells, based on current literature research.

RESULTS

Altogether, 52 references are cited and discussed critically. A schematic diagram of the relationship between acupuncture stimulation, changes of microcirculation and mast cells is presented as result.

CONCLUSION

The block diagram presented in this review article shows that mast cells might play an important role in circulation response after acupoint stimulation.

Local changes in microcirculation and the analgesic effects of acupuncture: a laser Doppler perfusion imaging study

OBJECTIVES

Although the local response induced by acupuncture manipulation has been considered to be among the important factors that induce the effects of acupuncture, this connection has not yet been properly studied with standardized tools. The aims of this study are to examine the local changes in microcirculation that occur at different manipulation intensities and explore any associations of these changes with the analgesic effects of acupuncture.

PARTICIPANTS/INTERVENTIONS

Twelve healthy volunteers received three acupuncture interventions (insertion only, a single manipulation, and repeated manipulations) at the right LI4 (Hegu or Hapgok) in random order.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Skin blood perfusion was measured in a 100-mm(2) area ellipse centered on LI4 by using laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) before, during, and after acupuncture stimulation. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were measured at ipsilateral areas, including acupoints ST25 (abdomen), LI5 (hand), LI10 (arm), and SP9 (leg).

RESULTS

Repeated acupuncture manipulations enhanced microcirculatory perfusion compared with the insertion-only (p<0.01) and the single-manipulation (p<0.05) conditions. The repeated acupuncture manipulations significantly decreased the pressure pain at ST25 compared with the other groups (each p<0.05). Of note, Spearman correlation analysis revealed significant correlation between changes of local perfusion and PPTs (r=0.393; p=0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested that repeated manipulation induced higher local microcirculatory changes that were correlated with the analgesic effects at the relevant sites. The findings suggest that a proper dose of acupuncture stimulation might be essential to elicit the acupuncture effects.

Decreased peripheral and central responses to acupuncture stimulation following modification of body ownership

Acupuncture stimulation increases local blood flow around the site of stimulation and induces signal changes in brain regions related to the body matrix. The rubber hand illusion (RHI) is an experimental paradigm that manipulates important aspects of bodily self-awareness. The present study aimed to investigate how modifications of body ownership using the RHI affect local blood flow and cerebral responses during acupuncture needle stimulation. During the RHI, acupuncture needle stimulation was applied to the real left hand while measuring blood microcirculation with a LASER Doppler imager (Experiment 1, N = 28) and concurrent brain signal changes using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI; Experiment 2, N = 17). When the body ownership of participants was altered by the RHI, acupuncture stimulation resulted in a significantly lower increase in local blood flow (Experiment 1), and significantly less brain activation was detected in the right insula (Experiment 2). This study found changes in both local blood flow and brain responses during acupuncture needle stimulation following modification of body ownership. These findings suggest that physiological responses during acupuncture stimulation can be influenced by the modification of body ownership.

The Effect of Acupuncture to SP6 on Skin Temperature Changes of SP6 and SP10: An Observation of "Deqi"

Background. Deqi sensation is a complex but an important component for acupuncture effect. In this study, we tried to observe the relationship between Deqi and skin temperature changes and whether there was some relativity between Deqi and needle stimulations on cold congealing and dysmenorrhea rat model. Thirty-two female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups (Saline Control Group, Model Group, Group A with strong stimulation, and Group B with small stimulation). Group A and Group B were performed with different stimulations. We found that, compared with saline control group, model group, and Group B, Group A showed that the skin temperature changes on right acupoint SP6 and SP10 increased significantly at 5 min-10 min interval. The skin temperature changes on left SP6 decreased at instant-5 min interval. The skin temperature changes on right SP10 decreased significantly at instant-5 min interval and 10 min-20 min interval. Thermogenic action along Spleen Meridian of Foot Greater Yin was manifested as simultaneous skin temperature increase on right SP6 and SP10 at 5 min-10 min interval after needling SP6, which was helpful to illustrate the relationship between the characteristic of Deqi and needle stimulations.

Pilot study of blood perfusion coherence along the meridian in forearm

Background

Many studies have explored the relationship between skin microcirculation and meridian activation. However, few studies have examined blood perfusion coherence along the meridians, and other studies have suggested that the skin vasodilator response relates to age. This study investigated blood perfusion coherence characteristics along the meridian of the forearm in healthy volunteers.

Methods

A total of 15 young subjects (25.53 ± 2.20) and 15 middle-aged subjects (50.07 ± 3.37) were recruited for this study. Before experiments, each subject was placed in a temperature-controlled room for 60 min. Skin blood perfusion from five points was recorded simultaneously using a full-field laser perfusion imager before and after inflatable occlusion. The five points comprised three points located on the pericardium meridian, and two points from different locations. Coherence analysis between these points was performed at different frequency intervals from 0.0095 to 2 Hz.

Results

In young subjects, the coherence value was unchanged before and after occlusion, and there was no significant difference in coherence value between meridian-meridian points (M-M) and meridian-parameridian points (M-P). In middle-aged subjects, the coherence value increased significantly in both M-M and M-P at frequency intervals of 0.14-0.4 Hz, 0.4-1.6 Hz, and 1.6-2 Hz. However, there was no significant difference in coherence values between M-M and M-P.

Conclusions

Inflatable occlusion can increase middle-aged subjects’ blood perfusion coherence value of the forearm. However, there is no specificity in meridian location.

Auricular acupuncture for chemically dependent pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial of the NADA protocol

Background

The prevalence of maternal drug use during pregnancy in North America has been estimated to be as high as 6-10%. The consequences for the newborn include increased risk for perinatal mortality and ongoing physical, neurobehavioral, and psychosocial problems. Methadone is frequently used to wean women off street drugs but is implicated as a cause of adverse fetal/neonatal outcomes itself. The purpose of our study was to test the ability of maternal acupuncture treatment among mothers who use illicit drugs to reduce the frequency and severity of withdrawal symptoms among their newborns.

Methods

We randomly assigned chemically dependent pregnant women at BC Women’s Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia to daily acupuncture treatments versus usual care. By necessity, neither our participants nor acupuncturists were blinded as to treatment allocation. Our primary outcome was days of neonatal morphine treatment for symptoms of neonatal withdrawal. Secondary neonatal outcomes included admission to a neonatal ICU and transfer to foster care.

Results

We randomized 50 women to acupuncture and 39 to standard care. When analyzed by randomized groups, we did not find benefit of acupuncture; the average length of treatment with morphine for newborns in the acupuncture group was 2.7 (6.3) compared to 2.8 (7.0) in the control group. Among newborns of women who were compliant with the acupuncture regime, we observed a reduction of 2.1 and 1.5 days in length of treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome compared to the non-compliant and control groups, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Acupuncture may be a safe and feasible treatment to assist mothers to reduce their dosage of methadone. Our results should encourage ongoing studies to test the ability of acupuncture to mitigate the severity of neonatal abstinence syndrome among their newborns.

Clinical Trial Registration

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov registry: W05-0041

Evaluate laser needle effect on blood perfusion signals of contralateral hegu acupoint with wavelet analysis

Our previous studies suggested that the MBF in contralateral Hegu acupoint (IL4) increased after ipsilateral Hegu acupoint was stimulated with manual acupuncture. In this study, twenty-eight (28) healthy volunteers were recruited and were randomly divided into Hegu acupoint stimulation group and Non-Hegu stimulation group. All subjects received the same model stimulation of the laser needle for 30 min in right Hegu acupoint and Non-Hegu acupoint, respectively. MBF of left LI4 was measured by the laser Doppler perfusion imaging system. The original data dealt with morlet wavelet analysis and the average amplitude and power spectral density of different frequency intervals was acquired. The results indicated that right Hegu stimulation with the laser needle might result in the increase of left Hegu acupoint MBF. 40 min later after ceased stimulation, the MBF is still increasing significantly, whereas the MBF has no significantly change in Non-Hegu stimulation group. The wavelet analysis result suggested that compared to Non-Hegu stimulation, stimulated to right Hegu acupoint might result in the increase of average amplitude in frequency intervals of 0.0095-0.02 Hz, 0.02-0.06 Hz, and 0.06-0.15 Hz, which might be influenced by the endothelial, neurogenic, and the intrinsic myogenic activity of the vessel wall, respectively.