Text Size

Evaluating Acupuncture Points With Scanning Kelvin Probe

This study has suspended participant recruitment.
(Adjusting minor software glitches)
Sponsor:
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Andrew A. Ahn, Massachusetts General Hospital
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT01545960
First received: March 2, 2012
Last updated: NA
Last verified: March 2012
History: No changes posted
  Purpose

The purpose of this study is to characterize the surface electrical potential of acupuncture points with a Scanning Kelvin Probe.


Condition Intervention
Healthy Individuals
Acupuncture Points
Electrical Potential
 Other: not applicable in this study

Study Type: Observational
Study Design: Observational Model: Case Control
Time Perspective: Cross-Sectional
Official Title: Scanning Kelvin Probe Measurements of Acupuncture Point

Resource links provided by NLM:

U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by Massachusetts General Hospital:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Electrical Potential at Acupuncture points [ Time Frame: One day ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Scanning Kelvin Probe measurements of electrical potentials at 3 predetermined acupuncture points.


Biospecimen Retention:   Samples With DNA

Whole Blood


Estimated Enrollment: 24
Study Start Date: August 2011
Estimated Study Completion Date: August 2012
Estimated Primary Completion Date: August 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Groups/Cohorts Assigned Interventions
Healthy Volunteers Other: not applicable in this study
No actual interventions will be administered for this study.

Detailed Description:

Acupuncture points are anatomical structures described by traditional Chinese medicine. To this day, however, their scientific and Western anatomical characterizations remain unclear. Past studies have suggested that acupuncture points are distinct electrically (increased electrical conductivity). To evaluate this claim, this study uses a Scanning Kelvin Probe to study the electrical potential of three acupuncture points and their respective adjacent controls in 24 healthy individuals. The Scanning Kelvin Probe is a novel device that measures the electrical potential of skin without actually touching the skin surface.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 65 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Sampling Method:   Probability Sample
Study Population

Healthy volunteers

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals without chronic medical condition requiring daily medications (hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism, etc).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals with autonomic disorders (sweating irregularities), skin disorders, extensive burns/scars on the hand, tremors, neuromuscular conditions, restless leg syndrome, movement disorders, and implanted cardiac defibrillator/pacemaker
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01545960

Locations
United States, Massachusetts
Massachusetts General Hospital - Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States, 02129
Sponsors and Collaborators
Massachusetts General Hospital
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Andrew C. Ahn, MD, MPH Massachusetts General Hospital
  More Information

No publications provided

Responsible Party: Andrew A. Ahn, Assistant Professor, Massachusetts General Hospital
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01545960     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 5R21AT005249-03
Study First Received: March 2, 2012
Last Updated: March 2, 2012
Health Authority: United States: Institutional Review Board

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 16, 2013