Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21602233›Full record

Trial reportAcupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society2011

Reliability of AcuGraph system for measuring skin conductance at acupoints.

Scott D Mist, Mikel Aickin, Paul Kalnins, Jim Cleaver, Roger Batchelor, Tracy Thorne, Steve Chamberlin, Kim Tippens, Agatha P Colbert

Abstract readClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. History of bioelectrical study and the electrophysiology of the primo vascular system.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2013
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Scott D MistOregon Health & Science University, 4116 SE Oak Street, Portland, OR 97214, USA. scott.mist@comcast.net
Mikel Aickin
Paul Kalnins
Jim Cleaver
Roger Batchelor
Tracy Thorne
Steve Chamberlin
Kim Tippens
Agatha P Colbert

Funding

Traditional Chinese Medicine for Fibromyalgia: A Whole Systems TrialK23AT006392 · NCCIH · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · PI MIST, SCOTT DAVID · 2011 to 2015
$649k
A health services research training program in CAM for a naturopathic physicianF32AT004342 · NCCIH · NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL MEDICINE · PI TIPPENS, KIMBERLY MICHELLE · 2008 to 2011
$195k
NCCIH NIH HHS F32 AT004342NCCIH NIH HHS K23 AT006392
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThere are many commercially available instruments for measuring electrical conductance, but there is little information about their reliability. The aim of this study was to quantify measurement variability and assess reliability of the AcuGraph system-a commonly used electrodermal screening device.

methodsFour experiments were conducted to measure variability in electrical conductance readings obtained by the AcuGraph system. The first involved measuring known resistors. The second measured non-human organic matter. The third was a test-retest assessment of the Yuan-Source and Jing-Well points in 30 healthy volunteers who were measured by a single operator. The fourth was an interoperator reliability evaluation of seven acupuncturists at the Yuan-Source and Jing-Well acupoints on four individuals at two time points.

resultsAgainst known resistors, the AcuGraph had an average coefficient of variability (CV) of 1.8% between operators and test-retests. On non-human organic material the AcuGraph had an average CV of 0.9% and 2.8%. When a single operator tested 30 participants, the average reliability for the Yuan-Source points was 0.86 and 0.76 for Jing-Well points with a CV of 23.2% and 25.9% respectively. The average CV for the seven acupuncturists was 24.5% on Yuan-Source points and 23.7% on Jing-Well points.

conclusionsThe AcuGraph measures known resistors and organic matter accurately and reliably. Skin conductance at acupoints recorded by one operator was also reliable. There was less consistency in electrodermal recordings obtained by seven different operators. Operator training and technical improvements to the AcuGraph may improve consistency among operators.

Indexed as

Acupuncture PointsAcupuncture TherapyGalvanic Skin ResponseSkin Physiological PhenomenaSoftwareAdultElectrophysiologyFemaleHumansMaleSkinYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID21602233
PMCPMC3318992

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.