Hemodynamic changes caused by acupuncture in healthy volunteers: a prospective, single-arm exploratory clinical study

Abstract Background Radial pressure pulse wave (RPPW) examination has been a key diagnostic component of traditional Chinese medicine. The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in RPPW along with various hemodynamic variables after acupuncture stimulation and to examine the validity of pulse diagnosis as a modern diagnostic tool. Methods We conducted acupuncture stimulation at both ST36 acupuncture points in 25 healthy volunteers. We simultaneously assessed the RPPW by pulse tonometry; heart rate variability (HRV) by electrocardiogram; photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals, respiration rate, peripheral blood flow velocity and arterial depth by ultrasonography; and cardiac output by impedance cardiography, before, during and after a session of acupuncture stimulation. Results We observed consistent patterns of increased spectral energy at low frequency (