Objective: To observe the skin surface microcirculation of acupoints of conception vessel, governor vessel and thoroughfare vessel in patients with primary dysmenorrhea using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), and provide acupoint selection basis of acupuncture-moxibustion for primary dysmenorrhea.
Methods: Ninety-nine healthy female college students with regular menstrual cycles (normal group) and 94 female college students with primary dysmenorrhea (dysmenorrhea group) were recruited. Before menstrual period, on the first day of menstruation, and on the third day after menstruation, LSCI was used to observe the surface microcirculation at the abdominal acupoints of conception vessel, i. e. Yinjiao (CV 7), Qihai (CV 6), Shimen (CV 5), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3) and Qugou (CV 2), acupoints of thoroughfare vessel, i. e. Huangshu (KI 16), Zhongzhu (KI 15), Siman (KI 14), Qixue (KI 13), Dahe (KI 12), Henggu (KI 11) and acupoints of lumbosacral region of governor vessel, i. e. Xuanshu (GV 5), Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Yaoshu (GV 2) as well as two non-acupoints.
Results: Before menstrual period, there was no significant difference in the surface blood perfusion of the acupoints between the dysmenorrhea group and the normal group (P>0.05). On the first day of menstruation, the surface blood perfusion of Xuanshu (GV 5), Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3) and right Huangshu (KI 16) in the dysmenorrhea group was higher than that in the normal group (P<0.05, P<0.01). On the third day after menstruation, the surface blood perfusion of the right Henggu (KI 11) in the dysmenorrhea group was lower than that in the normal group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: In patients with primary dysmenorrhea, on the first day of menstruation, the surface blood perfusion of Xuanshu (GV 5), Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3) of governor vessel, and the right Huangshu (KI 16) of thoroughfare vessel is increased, while on the third day after menstruation, the surface blood perfusion of the right Henggu (KI 11) of thoroughfare vessel is decreased. These findings might provide a basis for acupoint selection in the acupuncture-moxibustion treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.
目的：采用激光散斑血流成像技术观察原发性痛经患者任、督、冲三脉经穴体表微循环，为针灸治疗原发性痛经提供选穴依据。方法：招募月经周期规律的健康女大学生（正常组）99名和原发性痛经女大学生（痛经组）94名。经前、经期第1天和月经结束后第3天，采用激光散斑血流成像技术观察两组受试者任脉腹部经穴（阴交、气海、石门、关元、中极、曲骨）、冲脉交会腧穴（双侧肓俞、中注、四满、气穴、大赫、横骨）、督脉腰骶部经穴（悬枢、命门、腰阳关、腰俞）及2个非经非穴体表微循环。结果：经前，痛经组和正常组穴位体表血流灌注量比较，差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）；经期第1天，痛经组悬枢、命门、腰阳关和右侧肓俞体表血流灌注量大于正常组（P<0.05，P<0.01）；月经结束后第3天，痛经组右侧横骨体表血流灌注量小于正常组（P<0.05）。结论：原发性痛经患者经期第1天督脉悬枢、命门、腰阳关和冲脉交会腧穴右侧肓俞，月经结束后第3天冲脉交会腧穴右侧横骨体表血流灌注量异常，可为原发性痛经的针灸选穴提供依据。.
Keywords: blood perfusion; conception vessel, governor vessel and thoroughfare vessel; laser speckle contrast imaging; meridian-acupoint specificity; microcirculation; primary dysmenorrhea.