Objective To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture on acupoint local extracellular ionized atom concentrations under physiological status and provide a basis for exploring the mechanism of action of electroacupuncture. Method Twenty male SD rats were selected. Rat point Zusanli (ST36) was given electroacupuncture (1 mA, 0.2 ms and 2 Hz) for 60 min. Meanwhile, local tissue fluid was collected at point Zusanli and non-acupoints using a microdialyzer. The collection by molecular probe membrane sampling lasted 4 hrs: 60 min physiological status before electroacupuncture, 60 min electroacupuncture, 60 min after electroacupuncture and 120 min after electroacupuncture. Real-time analysis of the sample was made by electrolyte analysis to observe local changes in concentrations of Ca﹢﹢, K﹢, Na﹢and Cl- at point Zusanli. Result Local Ca﹢﹢concentrations at point Zusanli increased significantly during electroacupuncture (P=0.003, vs before electroacupuncture), rose gradually afterwards and reached the peak at 60 min after electroacupuncture (P=0.75, vs during electroacupuncture). Ca﹢﹢concentrations decreased at 120 min after electroacupuncture; there was a statistically significant difference comparedwith during electroacupuncture (P=0.04). Acupoint local extracellular concentrations of Na ﹢ and Cl- also increased significantly during electroacupuncture (P<0.001, P=0.007, vs before electroacupuncture) but decreased gradually during 60 min after electroacupuncture and to (71.81±15.09) mmol/L and (57.42±14.30) mmol/L, respectively, at 60 min after electroacupuncture (P=0.09, P=0.07 vs during electroacupuncture). Acupoint extracellular K ﹢concentrations had a tendency similar to those of Na﹢and Cl- but there was no statistically significant difference. Non-point electroacupuncture slightly increased extracellular concentrations of Ca﹢﹢, K﹢, Na﹢and Cl- but there were no statistically significant differences compared with before electroacupuncture (P>0.05). Conclusion Rat point Zusanli electroacupuncture can induce significant increases in acupoint local extracellular concentrations of Ca﹢﹢, K﹢, Na﹢and Cl- . Ionized atom concentrations decrease in different degrees after electroacupuncture. These provide an experimental basis for studying the physiological mechanism of electroacupuncture treatment.

Objective To evaluate left ventricular systolic function by real-time three-dimension speckle tracking imaging (RT3D-STI) in coronary artery diseases (CHD) patients,to determine the clinical value of RT3D-STI in CHD.Methods 34 control subjects and 55 patients with CHD by coronary angiography were involved.Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS),left ventricular global circumferential strain (GCS),left ventricular global radial strain (GRS),left ventricular global area strain (GAS) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF),etc,was acquired by RT3D-STI,respectively.The parameters by RT3D-STI to diagnose CHD were analyzed.Results Compared with control group,GLS,GCS,GRS and GAS were significantly decreased in CHD group (P ＜ 0.05).The area under receiver operating characteristics (AUC) curve of GLS to diagnose CHD was 91.6％.The cutoff value,the sensitivity and Youden index of GLS were-12.5,90.3 ％ and 0.612,respectiuely.The cutoff value,the sensitivity and Youden index of GAS were-23.0,95.8％ and 0.539,respectiuely.GLS,GAS correlated well with LVEF in CHD group (r =-0.860,r =-0.926).Conclusions GLS is the most sensitivity and GAS is the most specificity in the all of strain parameters.RT3D-STI can early show the changes of left ventricular global systolic function in patients with CHD.