Abstract: OBJECTIVE:To analyze the distinctive pathological characteristics in the spectrums of spontaneous infrared radiation at the Taiyuan(LU 9) acupoint in patients with asthma.METHODS:A highly sensitive infrared spectrum detecting device was used to detect the spectrums of spontaneous infrared radiation at Taiyuan(LU 9) in 37 asthma patients and 34 healthy volunteers.RESULTS:Asthma patients had significantly lower infrared intensity than that of the healthy volunteers(P>0.01).Asthma patients had significantly lower overall infrared radiation intensity at the left Taiyuan(LU 9) than that of healthy volunteers(P>0.05),but there was no significant difference between healthy volunteers and asthma patients at the right Taiyuan(LU 9)(P>0.05).The infrared radiation intensity of 17 wavelength spots at the left Taiyuan(LU 9) and 4 wavelength spots at the right Taiyuan(LU 9) in asthma patients were significantly lower than those of healthy volunteers(P>0.05).At 2 μm,the infrared radiation intensity of asthma patients was significantly stronger than that of healthy volunteers(P>0.05).At 19 wavelength spots in the healthy volunteers and at 4 wavelength spots in the asthma patients,the left Taiyuan(LU 9) showed a significantly stronger intensity than that of the right Taiyuan(LU 9)(P>0.05).By Pearson's χ2 test,healthy volunteers had more wavelength spots that were significantly different between the left and right Taiyuan(LU 9) than the asthma patients(P>0.01).CONCLUSION:Changes in the infrared spectrum at the Taiyuan(LU 9) acupoint in asthma patients may reflect distinct pathological changes.Certain acupuncture points may be related to specific organs.

Key words: Infrared radiation, Spectrum, Asthma, Acupoints, Taiyuan(LU 9)