Abstract
Objectives:
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common allergy that causes the skin to be dry and itchy. It appears at an early age, and is closely associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis. Thus, AD is an indicator that other allergies may occur later. Literatures indicate that the molecular basis of patients with AD is different from that of healthy individuals. According to the classics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body constitution of patients with AD is also different. The purpose of this study is to determine the differences in pulse spectrum analysis between patients with AD and nonatopic healthy individuals.
Methods:
A total of 60 children (30 AD and 30 non-AD) were recruited for this study. A pulse spectrum analyzer (SKYLARK PDS-2000 Pulse Analysis System) was used to measure radial arterial pulse waves of subjects. Original data were then transformed to frequency spectrum by Fourier transformation. The relative strength of each harmonic wave was calculated. Moreover, the differences of harmonic values between patients with AD and non-atopic healthy individuals were compared and contrasted.
Results:
This study showed that harmonic values and harmonic percentage of C3 (Spleen Meridian, according to Wang's hypothesis) were significantly different.
Conclusions:
These results demonstrate that C3 (Spleen Meridian) is a good index for the determination of atopic dermatitis. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that the pulse spectrum analyzer is a valuable auxiliary tool to distinguish a patient who has probable tendency to have AD and/or other allergic diseases.
Introduction
A number of observations suggest that there is a molecular basis for atopic dermatitis; these include the findings of genetic susceptibility, immune system deviation, and epidermal barrier dysfunction. 8 Moreover, according to the classics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body constitution of atopic dermatitis patients was also different. Establishment of scientific methods using pulse diagnosis will assist the diagnosis and follow-up of AD.
“Organs Resonance” 9 brought up by Wei-Kung Wang provided a scientific explanation for “pulse condition” and “Qi.” Organs, heart, and vessels can produce coupled oscillation, which minimize the resistance of blood flow, resulting in better circulation. The changes of radial arterial pulse spectrum can reflect the harmonic energy redistribution of a specific organ. 10,11 Several of the previous studies demonstrate that variations in the harmonics of pulse spectrum can be used in many fields, including diseases, 12 –17 acupuncture, 18 –20 Chinese herbal medications 10,21,22 –26 and clinical observation. 27 –30 The new method offers an extraordinary vision of medical investigation by combining pulse spectrum analysis with Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as modern medicine. Wang proposed that the peak values of numbered harmonics might be the representations of each visceral organ, C1 for Liver, C2 for Kidney, C3 for Spleen, etc.
Materials and Methods
Subjects
In total, 60 children (3–15 years of age), comprising 30 with AD (AD group) and 30 nonatopic healthy (non-AD group), participated in the study. The diagnosis of AD was based on the criteria defined by the United Kingdom working party. 31 Nonatopic healthy was defined as those who had no known health problems and no personal or family history of allergic diseases, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, etc.
The experiment protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of China Medical University (approval number: DMR97-IRB-087). The written informed consents were obtained from the parents of all participants before they enrolled in this study.
Children with a history of major chronic diseases, such as arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, hyperthyroidism, difficult asthma, malignancy, and so on were excluded from this study.
Those who suffered from any acute disease (e.g., acute upper airway infection or acute gastroenteritis in recent 7days), were also excluded from this experiment.
Radial arterial pulse test
A pulse spectrum analyzer (SKYLARK PDS-2000 Pulse Analysis System, approved by Department of Health, Executive Yuan, R.O.C. [Taiwan] with a license number 0023302) was used to record radial arterial pulse waves. The pressure transducer of the pulse spectrum analyzer detected artery pressure pulse with 100-Hz sampling rate and 25 mm/sec scanning rate. The output data were stored in digital form in an IBM PC. The subjects were asked to rest for 20 minutes prior to pulse measurements. All procedures were performed in a bright and quiet room with a constant temperature of 25°C–26°C. Pulses were recorded during 3:00
Data processing
We transformed original data to spectrum data by Fourier transform as Wang et al described earlier.
10
Briefly, original data were stored as time-amplitude. Mathematics software Matlab 6.5.1 (The MathWorks Inc.) provided Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) technique to transform time-amplitude data to frequency-amplitude data. Then regular isolated harmonic in a multiple of fundamental frequency appeared. The finding gave a spectrum reading up to the 10th harmonic (Cn, n = 0–10). Intensity of harmonics above the 11th became very small and was neglected. Thereafter, the relative harmonic values of each harmonic were calculated according to Wang's hypothesis.
21
Harmonic percentage of Cn was defined as
Statistical analysis
The experimental data were analyzed by Statistical software SPSS 13.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc.). Comparisons of the harmonic values and the harmonic percentage and the age distribution between patients with AD and nonatopic healthy individuals were performed using the Student's two-samples t test. Comparisons of the sex distribution between patients with AD and nonatopic healthy individuals were performed using the χ2 test. Comparisons of the harmonic values and the harmonic percentage between left hand and right hand were performed using the Student's paired-samples t test. All comparisons were two-tailed, and p < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
Results
In total, 60 children (30 AD and 30 non-AD) participated in the study. The average age of the 60 subjects is 8.02 ± 2.95 years. Baseline characteristics of all participants are shown in Table 1. There is no significant difference in age and gender between the two groups.
Values are mean ± standard deviation.
AD, atopic dermatitis.
Relative harmonic values of right radial arterial pulse spectrum analysis are shown in Table 2. Relative harmonic values of left radial arterial pulse spectrum analysis are shown in Table 3. Harmonic percentages of right radial arterial pulse spectrum analysis are shown in Table 4. Harmonic percentages of left radial arterial pulse spectrum analysis are shown in Table 5.
Values are mean ± standard deviation.
For p-value <0.05.
AD, atopic dermatitis.
Values are mean ± standard deviation.
For p-value <0.05.
AD, atopic dermatitis.
Values are mean ± standard deviation.
For p-value <0.05.
AD, atopic dermatitis.
Values are mean ± standard deviation.
For p-value <0.05.
AD, atopic dermatitis.
In this study, the relative harmonic values of both right and left radial arterial pulse spectrum analysis are lower in the AD group. The relative harmonic values of C3 are significantly different (p = 0.004, 0.059, respectively). Moreover, when comparing them by parameter of harmonic percentage, C3 are significantly decreased in the AD group in both right and left radial arterial pulse spectrum analyses (p = 0.045, 0.036, respectively). These results illustrated the close relationship between C3 (Spleen Meridian) and AD.
Discussion
According to the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the pathophysiologic mechanisms of AD are “inborn deficiency in body constitution, poor tolerance to environmental stimulants, Spleen Meridian not working well, interiorly generating wet and heat; infected with wind-wetness-heat-evil further, then suffering from those accumulating in skin.” AD is a disease involving multiple dysfunctions of the visceral organs (Zang-Fu) rather than a constitutive skin defect. “Spleen wetness” is usually considered a major syndrome of AD, which is compatible with our findings.
On the other hand, there are also differences in C0 (Heart Meridian), C1 (Liver Meridian), C4 (Lung Meridian) of right hand (p = 0.014, 0.005, 0.021, respectively) and C1 (Liver Meridian) of left hand (p = 0.038) between the two groups. These findings appear to have a close relationship between AD and other visceral organs (Zang-Fu). It requires further research to clarify the clinical meanings of these differences.
In the present experiment, the close relationship between C3 (Spleen Meridian, referred to Wang's hypothesis) and AD is illustrated. The result verifies Wang's hypothesis about the relationship between harmonics and Meridians. 21 Moreover, our experiment also has proved that the pulse spectrum analyzer is a suitable auxiliary tool for diagnosing and following up patients with AD.
Conclusions
In conclusion, it was determined that C3 (Spleen Meridian) is a valued index for the determination of atopic dermatitis. Also, the pulse spectrum analyzer is a practical noninvasive diagnostic tool to allow scientific and objective diagnosis.
However, the pulse diagnosis technique is just in the beginning stage. Even though the discovery from the present study seems clear, it deserves further study.
Footnotes
Acknowledgments
This research was performed in a private clinic for pediatrics specialty, the Hwaishen clinic. The Hwaishen Clinic is acknowledged for their full support of this research.
Disclosure Statement
No competing financial interests exist.