NCT00005770

Brief Summary

During acupuncture treatment, acupuncture needles are inserted and manipulated until a characteristic local tissue reaction termed "de qi" is observed. De qi can be perceived by the acupuncturist in the form of "needle grasp", a mechanical gripping of the needle by the tissue. De qi is considered essential to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture. Therefore, the investigator proposes that understanding this local tissue reaction will lead to an understanding of how the therapeutic effect of acupuncture therapy arises. Specifically, it is hypothesized that needle manipulation causes winding of collagen and elastic fibers around the needle. This action induces tension in the collagen network surrounding the needling site and results in a mechanical signal that is transduced into local cells. The objective of the current work is to use ultrasound elastography, a recently developed ultrasound imaging technique, to visualize and quantify changes in the elastic properties of skin and subcutaneous tissue in 12 healthy human volunteers as a result of acupuncture needle manipulation.

Trial Health

55
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Trial Health Score

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Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
unknown

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Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

June 1, 2000

Completed
1 day until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

June 2, 2000

Completed
Last Updated

June 24, 2005

Status Verified

November 1, 2001

First QC Date

June 1, 2000

Last Update Submit

June 23, 2005

Conditions

Healthy

Keywords

elastic property of skin

Interventions

AcupunctureDEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 55 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • Healthy

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

University of Vermont

Burlington, Vermont, 05401, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Acupuncture Therapy

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Complementary TherapiesTherapeutics

Study Design

Study Type
observational
Observational Model
NATURAL HISTORY
Time Perspective
CROSS SECTIONAL
Sponsor Type
NIH

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

June 1, 2000

First Posted

June 2, 2000

Last Updated

June 24, 2005

Record last verified: 2001-11

Locations

US(1)