ABSTRACT
Objective:To observe the thermesthesia thresholds of the heat-sensitive acupoints in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and to provide scientific evidence for acupoint selection based on acupoint sensitization. Methods:Forty-six patients with KOA of swelling type were recruited. By using the quantitative thermesthesia testing, the thermal sensation threshold, thermal pain threshold, and threshold of thermal pain tolerance at Xuehai (SP 10), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4) and Yinlingquan (SP 9) were detected. The subjects were then divided into heat-sensitive groups and non-heat-sensitive groups according to whether there was a phenomenon of heat-sensitive moxibustion sensation at each acupoint, to compare the thermesthesia thresholds between the two groups. Results: The thermal sensation threshold, thermal pain threshold, and threshold of thermal pain tolerance were respectively (38.21±2.03)℃ , (44.4,±1.8,)℃ and (48.,9±0.,4)℃ in the heat-sensitive group of Xuehai (SP 10), versus (3,.,,±1.93)℃ , (42.91±2.0,)℃ and (4,.9,±1.14)℃ in the non-heat-sensitive group of Xuehai (SP 10); the thermal sensation threshold, thermal pain threshold, and threshold of thermal pain tolerance were respectively (3,.4,±1.,,)℃ , (44.,,±1.,3) , and (4,.48±0.4,) in the heat℃℃-sensitive group of Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), versus (3,.92±1.,9)℃ , (42.,2±1.94)℃ and (4,.,3±0.41)℃ in the non-heat-sensitive group of Neixiyan (EX-LE 4); the thermal sensation threshold, thermal pain threshold, and threshold of thermal pain tolerance were respectively (3,.30±2.23)℃ , (44.39±1.92)℃ and (4,.,,±0.,8)℃ in the heat-sensitive group of Yinlingquan (SP 9), versus (3,.0,±1.8,)℃ , (42.,3±1.88)℃ and (4,.91±0.,2)℃ in the non-heat-sensitive group of Yinlingquan (SP 9). The statistical analyses showed that the thermal sensation threshold, thermal pain threshold, and threshold of thermal pain tolerance of each heat-sensitive group (all the three acupoints) were significantly higher than those of each corresponding non-heat-sensitive group (P<0.01). Conclusion:There were differences in the thermesthesia thresholds between heat-sensitized and non-heat-sensitized acupoints in patients with KOA of swelling type; and the thermal sensation threshold, thermal pain threshold, and threshold of thermal pain tolerance of the heat-sensitized points were significantly higher than those of the non-heat-sensitized ones.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the relationship between serum omentin-1 concentration and bone mineral desity in postmenopausal women, and the adipose influence of tissue on bone mineral density (BMD). Methods: BMD values of 336 participants were measured by dual-energy-x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) at various skeletal sites: the anteroposterior spine, femeral neck, total hip (T-hip) and total body BMD (TBMD). Body compositions including lean tissue mass (LTM) and body fat mass (FBM) were measured by DEXA. hTe plasma concentrations of adipocytokines (omentin-1, adiponectin,leptin,resistin,visfatin, andapelin) were measured by ELISA. Results: hTe overweight and obese groups had higher T-hip,femerol neck, intertrochanter BMDthan the nomal weight group. Plasma omentin-1 was negatively correlated with anteroposterior spine, femeral neck, trochanter, intertrochanter, T-hip and Ward’s BMD, after adjustment for age, BMI and fat body mass, and the correlation was not significant. Multiple stepwise regression anlysis revealed that lean body mass, menopause duration and estrogen level were the most important variables affecting the BMD and each explained 12.2%–13.7%, 6.9%–13.1%, 0.9%–1.7% of the variance. Serum adiponectin was independently associated with T-hip, lumbar spine and total BMD. Conclusion: Plasma omentin-1 is not significantly correlated with BMD in postmenopausal women. Lean body mass, menopause duration and estrogen level are the most important variables affecting the BMD. Serum adiponectin is an independent predictor of T-hip, lumbar spine and total BMD.