-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Abstract Background: Toyohari Meridian Therapy (TMT) is a Japanese system of acupuncture that utilizes radial pulse diagnosis to diagnose and guide acupuncture treatment, including ascertaining when the treatment has concluded. The "root" treatment involves manipulation of the body's Qi without penetration of the needle. There has been little research into the physiologic correlates of the changes detected through pulse diagnosis by Traditional East Asian Medicine practitioners practicing TMT. Objectives: The study objective was to investigate whether there were any concurrent changes in physiologic cardiovascular variables, specifically the Central (Buckberg) Sub Endocardial Viability Ratio (SEVR) or Heart Rate (HR) adjusted Augmentation Index (AI), with changes in the radial pulses produced by a TMT "root treatment." Materials and methods: A parallel, single-blind, randomized controlled design was utilized. Sixty-two (62) healthy volunteers were randomized to receive either a TMT root treatment or a sham-treatment. Two (2) TMT practitioners participated, with the same practitioner conducting the needling in each case. The SEVR and HR-adjusted AI were measured by a third researcher. Statistical analysis: Within-groups analysis (paired Student t-test) and between-groups analysis (analysis of covariance) were used; a p-value of 0.05 was designated as statistically significant. Results: SEVR improved significantly within the treatment group but not in the control group. Conclusions: Results indicate that changes detected in the pulse by the TMT practitioners were associated with a measurable improvement in the SEVR. The findings of this study offer the possibility for further investigation into radial pulse diagnosis practices in an effort to find a physiologic understanding or basis of TMT practice and the system of pulse diagnosis it uses.
Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 04/2013; · 1.69 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Toyohari meridian therapy (TMT) is a Japanese system of acupuncture. Acupoint selection follows diagnosis of the primary and secondary patterns of disharmony (sho) and disturbances in the yang channels. Pulse diagnosis and abdominal palpation diagnosis are the two main diagnostic methods used. Little is known about the reliability of pulse, abdominal, and pattern diagnosis in TMT. This is important since diagnosis of the sho determines acupoint treatment. If diagnosis is unreliable, there can be less confidence that the patient will receive optimal treatment. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the level of agreement between two TMT practitioners on pulse diagnosis, abdominal diagnosis, and diagnosis of the primary and secondary sho.
An inter-rater reliability study was conducted. Two (2) TMT practitioners separately conducted a TMT examination and completed an assessment form, choosing from a range of possible responses relating to pulse characteristics, abdominal diagnosis, and diagnosis of primary sho and secondary sho. The kappa coefficient was used as a measure of inter-rater reliability of the outcome variables.
Sixty-two (62) Australians (22 males, 40 females) aged 20-65 years participated (mean age 49.2 +/- 12.2 years). Level of agreement for pulse diagnosis was 57%, 61%, and 77% for pulse depth, speed, and strength, respectively. For abdominal diagnosis, the level of agreement for involvement of the Lung, Kidney, Spleen, and Liver abdominal regions was 58%, 53%, 35%, and 10%, respectively. The overall level of agreement on primary sho diagnosis was 48% and for secondary sho diagnosis, 44%.
Overall, there was a reasonable level of agreement on basic pulse characteristics and on abdominal diagnosis for two of the abdominal regions. Level of agreement on primary and secondary sho diagnosis suggests room for improvement. Further studies are required in order to gain a greater understanding of the reliability of diagnosis in TMT.
Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 09/2009; 15(10):1099-105. · 1.69 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The question of the objectivity of the clinical examination has been raised in relation to Western and non-Western medical systems. Western practitioners are often skeptical about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), on the basis that its diagnostic variables and subcategories of disease appear subjective and not repeatable. We conducted a study investigating the reproducibility of individual diagnostic observations within three of the four diagnostic methods used in a TCM examination: inspection, palpation, and auscultation. Three TCM practitioners participated in the study, and examined 45 adults who had mild-to-moderate hypercholesterolemia but were otherwise healthy. Results indicated that while there are certain features of the TCM system that are highly objective and repeatable, such as detection of the presence of shen, character of breath sounds, and pulse speed, there are other features that are subjective and unreliable, such as color under the eyes and tongue body color. This poses a challenge for TCM practitioners to improve their clinical practice and demonstrates to Western medical practitioners that TCM does in part rest on a rigorous and objective empirical basis.
Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 07/2009; 15(7):727-34. · 1.69 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Chinese medicine distinguishes itself from Western medicine in the differentiation of diseases according to underlying patterns of disharmony, or Chinese medicine (CM) syndromes. CM has its own clinical endpoints that are used as evidence of change in the body. Yet, relatively little is known about the reliability of CM diagnostic techniques, the final diagnosis of a CM syndrome, or the organizing principles used to reach a CM diagnosis such as the Eight Guiding Principles. Information about reliability of CM diagnosis has important implications for clinical practice and research, particularly if CM diagnostic variables or CM syndromes are to be incorporated into study designs.
An inter-rater reliability study was conducted with three CM practitioners to investigate the reproducibility of CM diagnosis according to the Eight Guiding Principles and Zang-Fu Theory. Forty-five (45) adults with mild hypercholesterolemia but who were otherwise healthy participated in the study.
Our results suggest that there is a reasonably good level of agreement between at least two practitioners on the dimensions of the Eight Guiding Principles. Level of agreement between at least two practitioners on CM syndrome diagnosis according to Zang-Fu Theory was very good for one syndrome only, that of Spleen qi deficiency.
Further investigations are needed into the reliability of the CM diagnostic processes from the initial stage of data collection to the final CM syndrome diagnosis.
Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 03/2009; 15(3):259-66. · 1.69 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Circulating adhesion molecules (CAMs), surface proteins expressed in the vascular endothelium, have emerged as risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). CAMs are involved in intercellular communication that are believed to play a role in atherosclerosis. A Chinese medicine, the "Dantonic Pill" (DP) (also known as the "Cardiotonic Pill"), containing three Chinese herbal material medica, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae, Radix Notoginseng and Borneolum Syntheticum, has been used in China for the prevention and management of CVD. Previous laboratory and animal studies have suggested that this preparation reduces both atherogenesis and adhesion molecule expression. A parallel double blind randomized placebo-controlled study was conducted to assess the effects of the DP on three species of CAM (intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and endothelial cell selectin (E-selectin)) in participants with mild-moderate hypercholesterolemia. Secondary endpoints included biochemical and hematological variables and clinical effects. Forty participants were randomized to either treatment or control for 12 weeks. Treatment with DP was associated with a statistically significant decrease in ICAM-1 (9% decrease, P = .03) and E-Selectin (15% decrease, P = .004). There was no significant change in renal function tests, liver function tests, glucose, lipids or C-reactive protein levels and clinical adverse effects did not differ between the active and the control groups. There were no relevant changes in participants receiving placebo. These results suggest that this herbal medicine may contribute to the development of a novel approach to cardiovascular risk reduction.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 10/2008; 2011:790784. · 4.77 Impact Factor
