Comparison of transient heart rate reduction associated with acupuncture stimulation in supine and sitting subjects
Item
Title
Comparison of transient heart rate reduction associated with acupuncture stimulation in supine and sitting subjects
Author(s)
Journal Publication
Date
2003
volume
21(4)
pages
133-137
Research Type
RCT
Keywords
Abstract
We investigated the difference in transient heart rate reduction associated with brief acupuncture in 20 healthy subjects at rest in a supine and in a sitting position. After the subjects had been at rest for about 20 minutes, acupuncture needling using the sparrow-pecking method, in which the needle is moved vertically lifting and thrusting, was performed for one minute at the Shousanli point on the right forearm (LI10). The procedure was carried out with the subjects in a supine position and in a sitting position. The position for stimulation of each subject, either supine or sitting, was selected at random, and on different days. The results showed that the average heart rate reduction associated with stimulation in supine subjects was 3.6 +/- 0.19 (mean +/- standard error (SE)) beats per minute (bpm), while that for sitting subjects was about 7.0 +/- 1.07 (mean +/- SE) bpm, indicating that stimulation reduces heart rate to a greater degree in subjects who are sitting (p<0.05, Mann-Whitney test). These results would be consistent with a mechanism involving reduced sympathetic drive to the heart, as sympathetic nerve activity has more influence on the heart rate in the sitting than in the supine position.
pmid
Date of Input: 5/21/2015; Date Modified: 5/21/2015; Availability: --In File--; Priority: Normal; Meiji College of Oriental Medicine , Kyoto, Japan. k_imai@muom.meiji-u.ac.jp; eng; Web: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=14740810
has health condition studied
Healthy Subjects
has study population number
20