目的：下肢血流障害に対する鍼治療の効果を検証する． デザイン：通電鍼刺激の皮膚血流および酸素化への効果を定量的に検証するため，皮膚還流圧（SPP）および経皮酸素分圧（TcPO2）を測定した．右下肢の足三里穴および三陰交穴を1Hzの通電鍼刺激によって10分間刺激し，右下肢の4計測点（右第一中足骨遠位・足背・足関節・膝下）についてSPPおよびTcPO2の変化を測定した．このうちSPPについては通電鍼刺激前後の測定を行い，TcPO2については刺激前，刺激中，および刺激後の測定を行った．コントロール群（20人の健常者で平均年齢33.8歳）については通電鍼刺激および測定を1回のみ行った．患者群（9人の末梢動脈疾患患者[PAD]で平均年齢65.1歳）は週1回の鍼治療を4週間，計5回受け，初回および5回目についてSPPおよびTcPO2の測定を行った．患者群についてはさらに，初回および5回目の鍼治療開始前に一連のアンケート調査（疼痛および全般についてVAS score，KDQOLTM，及びMedical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 Health Survey [SF-36]）を行った．結果：鍼刺激により，コントロール群では皮膚血流および酸素化が末梢領域で上昇を認めた．PAD患者群では初回鍼治療によって足背および足関節部での皮膚血流が上昇し，5回目の鍼刺激によって4計測点すべての血流が上昇したが，患者群での酸素化の上昇は認めなかった．患者群では更に，SF-36の身体機能について有為な改善を認めた．結論：下肢血流障害に対する治療法として，鍼治療が有効であることが示された．Objective: To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for lower limb ischemia.Design: We quantitatively measured the effects of electro-pulsed acupuncture on cutaneous blood flow and oxygenation, by determining skin perfusion pressure (SPP) and transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2), respectively. The Zusanli and Sanyinjiao acupoints on the right leg were stimulated with electro-pulsed acupuncture at 1 Hz for 10 minutes, then SPP levels at 4 measurement points before and after, and TcPO2 levels at those points before, during, and after treatment were measured. The control group (20 healthy volunteers, average 33.8 years old) received treatment once, while the patient group (9 patients with peripheral arterial disease [PAD], average 65.1 years old) received once-a-week acupuncture treatments and accompanying measurements for 4 weeks, and were also administered a set of questionnaire (VAS in pains and general conditions, KDQOLTM, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 Health Survey [SF-36]) on the first and final acupuncture treatment days.Results: Blood flow and oxygenation were increased in peripheral areas in the control group. In the PAD patients, blood flow was significantly increased in the dorsum of the foot and ankle after the first and at all 4 points after the final treatment, whereas cutaneous oxygenation was not significantly increased. In addition, the patient group reported improvements in answers to the Physical Function of SF-36.Conclusion: Our results indicate that acupuncture is effective as therapy for lower limb ischemia
