A Study on the Microcirculatory Characteristics of Meridian Phenomenon for the Heart and Lung Meridians Based on Patients With COPD

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Although some important progresses were made in the field of the meridian research, no breakthroughs have been achieved. Besides,there are some problems in meridian researches. Particularly, previous research of meridian phenomenon involved lots of subjective elements and outcomes.Researches that use modern scientific techniques to investigate the biological characteristics of meridian phenomenon are urgently needed. Therefore, this study is designed to assess the microcirculatory characteristics of meridian phenomenon for the Heart and Lung meridians by using laser doppler. Thus, the biological characteristics of meridian phenomenon could be presented objectively in a scientific methodology

Detailed Description
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This study will include 40 patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 80 healthy volunteers. Laser doppler examination will be adopted to assess the microcirculatory characteristics of meridian phenomenon for Heart and Lung meridians in the physiology/pathological state. Moreover, the site specificity for the meridian-visceral association and surface-surface association between the Heart and Lung meridians will be investigated.Primary outcomes will be blood flow curve and blood perfusion units(PU).Furthermore, this study will build standardized techniques and schemes for detecting the microcirculatory characteristics of meridian phenomenon for Heart and Lung meridians. The results of this study could also provide scientific foundation for traditional meridian theories.

Official Title
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A Study on the Microcirculatory Characteristics of Meridian Phenomenon for the Heart and Lung Meridians Based on Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Conditions
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Laser doppler


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Inclusion criteria for the COPD group Patients should meet the above diagnostic criteria, and the severity of COPD is in the stage of GOLD 2 or 3 based on pulmonary function testing; COPD patients in the stable phase, who present with mild symptoms of cough, expectoration and short breath; 35 ≤ age ≤75 years, male or female; Patients have clear consciousness and could communicate with others normally; Patients could understand the full study protocol and have high adherence.Written informed consent is signed by themselves or their lineal kin. Inclusion criteria for health volunteers Healthy volunteers who could provide a recent (in the past 3 month) medical examination report to confirm they have not any cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, hematological, endocrine and neurological disease; age ≥20 years, male or female; Participants have clear consciousness and could communicate with others normally; Participants could understand the full study protocol and have high adherence .Written informed consent is signed by themselves or their lineal kin. Exclusion Criteria: Exclusion criteria for the COPD group Patients who fail to meet the diagnostic criteria for COPD, or COPD patients in the phase of acute exacerbation; Patients have the following complications, which includes pneumonia, bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, active tuberculosis, pneumothorax, chest trauma, tumors of the lung or thorax, and other confirmed respiratory diseases; Patients have concomitant conditions of heart diseases, such as chronic stable angina pectoris (CSAP); Patients have serious concomitant conditions and fail to treat them effectively, such as diseases of the digestive, urinary, respiratory, hematological, and nervous system; Patients have mental illness, severe depression, alcohol dependence or history of drug abuse; Pregnant or lactating patients; Patients are participating in other trials. Exclusion criteria of health volunteers Participants have sudden severe diseases during the trial, such as cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases, kidney diseases, urinary diseases and hematological diseases. Participants have mental illness, severe depression, alcohol dependence or history of drug abuse; Pregnant or lactating participants ; Participants are participating in other trials.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 20 Years
Maximum Age: 75 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| COPD group<br>This group will include 40 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). | Device: Laser doppler<br>* A laser doppler flowmetry will be used to measure the microcirculatory characteristics of meridian phenomena. The probes will be left at relevant measuring sites. Blood flow curve and Perfusion units (PU ) will be recorded constantly. Healthy control group and COPD group The probes will be left at Shenmen (HT7) and Shaohai (HT3) of the Heart meridian, Taiyuan (LU9) and Chize (LU5) of the Lung meridian for 5 minutes. Healthy intervention group Two sessions of moxibustion will be performed in the Heart meridian and Lung meridian successively.<br>* Other names: moxibustion;|
| Healthy control group<br>This group will include 40 healthy volunteers. | Device: Laser doppler<br>* A laser doppler flowmetry will be used to measure the microcirculatory characteristics of meridian phenomena. The probes will be left at relevant measuring sites. Blood flow curve and Perfusion units (PU ) will be recorded constantly. Healthy control group and COPD group The probes will be left at Shenmen (HT7) and Shaohai (HT3) of the Heart meridian, Taiyuan (LU9) and Chize (LU5) of the Lung meridian for 5 minutes. Healthy intervention group Two sessions of moxibustion will be performed in the Heart meridian and Lung meridian successively.<br>* Other names: moxibustion;|
| Healthy intervention group<br>This group will include 40 healthy volunteers. Two sessions of moxibustion intervention will be performed in the Heart meridian and Lung meridian successively. The washout period between the two sessions is at least one day. | Device: Laser doppler<br>* A laser doppler flowmetry will be used to measure the microcirculatory characteristics of meridian phenomena. The probes will be left at relevant measuring sites. Blood flow curve and Perfusion units (PU ) will be recorded constantly. Healthy control group and COPD group The probes will be left at Shenmen (HT7) and Shaohai (HT3) of the Heart meridian, Taiyuan (LU9) and Chize (LU5) of the Lung meridian for 5 minutes. Healthy intervention group Two sessions of moxibustion will be performed in the Heart meridian and Lung meridian successively.<br>* Other names: moxibustion;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Blood flow curve | The blood flow curve could reflect the microcirculatory flux in the measuring sites. | 5 minutes of baseline, 15 minutes during moxibustion and 5 minutes after stopping moxibustion. | 
| Blood perfusion units | Perfusion units (PU)=concentration of moving blood cells (CMBC)×velocity (V) | 5 minutes of baseline, 15 minutes during moxibustion and 5 minutes after stopping moxibustion. | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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meridians, acupuncture, chronic stable angina pectoris, meridian phenomenon, laser doppler