Author: Jang JC1, Jung J2, Lee H3, Park YB4, Kim H5
Affiliation: 1 College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
2 College of Korean Medicine, Dongshin University, Naju 58245, Republic of Korea.
3 Department of Human Informatics of Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
4 Department of Human Informatics of Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; Department of Biofunctional Medicine and Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
5 Department of Biofunctional Medicine and Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
Conference/Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med.
Date published: 2017
Other:
Volume ID: 2017 , Pages: 6249329 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1155/2017/6249329. Epub 2017 Feb 7. , Word Count: 255
Background. De qi comprises varied senses depending on the individual. No single method can yet fully measure the multiple dimensions of de qi adequately. Objective. We examined the advantages of implementing multiple questionnaires for de qi measurement. Methods. Fourteen participants completed a preacupuncture questionnaire regarding their perception toward acupuncture treatment. After acupuncture stimulation at the HT7 point, de qi sensations were measured by MASS and ASQ. In groups with different levels of expectation, we compared the subtotal scores of each phase in the ASQ, as well as the VAS de qi intensity and MASS index using Kruskal-Wallis test. For the structural comparison of questionnaires, we first performed Spearman's rank correlation test between the scores of individual descriptors in MASS and ASQ. The subtotal scores of each phase in ASQ was compared with VAS de qi intensity and MASS index. Results. The subtotal score of the manipulation phase in ASQ strongly correlated with the VAS score of de qi intensity (Spearman's ρ = 0.654, p = 0.011) and MASS index (Spearman's ρ = 0.488, p = 0.076). MASS and ASQ showed strong correlations in certain analogous descriptors. Unpleasant perceptions toward acupuncture treatment did not significantly correlate with overall de qi intensity. Conclusions. De qi sensations in acupuncture treatment have multidimensional aspects. Intensity of stimulation, ASQ, and MASS index assess somewhat restricted aspects of de qi. Those questionnaires have exclusive differences of sets in spite of their strong intersections. Use of multiple questionnaires may enable a more comprehensive understanding of de qi properties and the elicitation of relevant construction in de qi features of acupuncture.
PMID: 28265292 DOI: 10.1155/2017/6249329