Patients 1 and 2 suffered from Raynaud's disease, in which the episodic vasospasm occurs idiopathically. In Patient 3 the Raynaud's phenomenon was secondary to a collagen disease, and Patient 4 suffered from diabetic polyneuropathy.
Sample Count
4
Experiment
observation(n=4)
Indicator
Temperature of fingers and toes
Stimulation Method
TENS
Induction Method
Electroacupuncture Instrument Model
Manufacturer
Frequency
Waveform
Strength
Induction Time
-
-
2 Hz
-
20-40 mA
45 min
Acupuncture_Needle
Needle_Manufacturer
Needle_Depth
-
-
-
Description The web between the 1. and 2. metacarpal bones was stimulated for 45 min with short trains of 5 pulses at a frequency of 2 Hz and with intensities of 20- 40 mA producing local rhythmic contractions but no pain.
Clinical Trial Type
Adverse Effects
Adverse reactions included drowsiness in allpatients and 2 patients described some dizziness and nausea,indicating that central synapses maybeinfuenced by the drug.
Effector
The serotonin receptor antagonist cyproheptadine was given to 4 patients with either Raynaud's phenomenon or diabetic polyneuropathy, who all prior to drug administration responded to TNS with marked and prolonged cutaneous vasodilation in the ischaemic limbs.
In search of mediators of skin vasodilation induced by transcutaneous nerve stimulation: II. Serotonin implicated.
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that brain serotonin is increased and noradrenaline decreased in acupuncture and transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS). Increases in available brain serotonin and decreases in noradrenaline enhance pain suppression. The present study tests the possibility that the widespread and prolonged cutaneous vasodilation which can be produced by low-frequency TNS in patients with peripheral circulatory insufficiency is similarly dependent on a central serotonergic pathway leading to sympatho-inhibition. The serotonin receptor antagonist cyproheptadine was given to 4 patients with either Raynaud's phenomenon or diabetic polyneuropathy, who all prior to drug administration responded to TNS with marked and prolonged cutaneous vasodilation in the ischaemic limbs. Cyproheptadine almost completely blocked the vascular response. Contrary to endorphin-serotonin mediated pain inhibition, vasoconstrictor inhibition is not antagonized by conventional, low doses of naloxone (Kaada, 1982a). However, the involvement of more naloxone-resistant opioid receptors in the vascular response cannot be excluded."
Souce
Gen Pharmacol. 1983;14(6):635-41. doi: 10.1016/0306-3623(83)90160-x.
