Effects of Combined Far-Infrared Radiation and Acupuncture at ST36 on Peripheral Blood Perfusion and Autonomic Activities
Table 1
Changes in peripheral perfusion and LHR for four different treatments at different stages in the same group of testing subjects ().
Parameter
Treatment
Stage 1
Stage 2
value
Stage 3
value
Perfusion (aU)
Acupuncture
2.20 ± 0.35
2.33 ± 0.36
<0.001
2.29 ± 0.30
0.001
Pseudoacupuncture
2.33 ± 0.30
2.41 ± 0.29
<0.001
2.38 ± 0.26
0.069
FIR
2.30 ± 0.31
2.40 ± 0.35
0.020
2.42 ± 0.37
0.032
Acupuncture-FIR
2.26 ± 0.45
2.37 ± 0.44
<0.001
2.38 ± 0.41
0.004
LHR
Acupuncture
1.84 ± 1.14
1.64 ± 0.83
0.442
1.62 ± 0.80
0.306
Pseudoacupuncture
1.58 ± 0.89
1.80 ± 0.85
0.206
2.00 ± 1.17
0.045
FIR
2.07 ± 0.97
1.72 ± 0.88
0.108
2.07 ± 1.89
0.601
Acupuncture-FIR
2.42 ± 1.58
1.74 ± 0.93
0.041
2.15 ± 1.48
0.691
aU: arbitrary unit; FIR: far-infrared radiation; LHR: low frequency power to high frequency power ratio. Comparison between stages 1 and 2. Comparison between stages 3 and 1. Significance of difference determined by paired -test.
