Pulse signal may be a key bridge connecting cardiology and pulse diagnosis of TCM

Abstract

Objective: This study extracts atherosclerosis indices from six channels of Cunkou and discusses the data distribution, aims to explore the connection between cardiology of modern medicine (MM) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pulse diagnosis. Methods: We use a device capable of simultaneously collecting the pulse signals of the Cun, Guan and Chi to test the population participating in routine physical examinations. Firstly, we collected pressure pulse waves from six channels of Cunkou of 1045 healthy subjects (578 men and 467 women, average age=37.99±16.02 years). Secondly, we extracted the two most common arteriosclerosis indices pulse transit time (PTT) and Augmentation index (AIx) from six-channel pulse waves. Lastly, T-test and correlation test were taken to analyze the differences and relevance of the atherosclerosis indices extracted from six channels of Cunkou. Results: When analyzing AIx and PTT at different wrist, it was found that AIx of left wrist is significantly higher than that of right wrist (P0.05). In addition, regardless of gender, when the specific channel is not considered, AIx and PTT of each wrist are significantly correlated with age (P<0.001). Conclusions: The differences of the atherosclerosis indices AIx and PTT in six channels support that the method of six-channel pulse diagnosis is indispensable in TCM. Additionally, the pulse waves obtained from each channel can be utilized as a dependable foundation for diagnosing atherosclerotic conditions. This study is beneficial for promoting the integration of TCM and MM in diagnosing disease.

Keywords

• Atherosclerosis index
• Augmentation index
• Cardiology
• Data distribution
• Pulse transit time
• Six-channel pulse diagnosis