Article type
Abstract
"Background: The color of the cupping mark is believed to be related to the mechanism and efficacy of cupping therapy, but the exploration of factors affecting its color depth has only been limited to the various factors of cupping operation in the past.
Objects: To observe the correlation between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution types and cupping marks color.
Methods: The protocol of this cross-sectional study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No.ChiCTR2100045219). We recruited 100 fibromyalgia syndrome patients and 100 healthy individual, aged 18-75 years, from the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and nearby communities. First, a survey was conducted on the demographic data and TCM constitution of the respondents. Then, cups were retained at 6 acupoints (Bilateral BL13, BL15 and BL18) for 10 minutes. Color of each cupping mark was rated according to the cupping color rating chart. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0. The correlation between cupping marks color and possible influencing factors (health status, TCM constitution types, gender, age, BMI) was analyzed by linear regression.
Results: 33 males (16.50%) and 167 females (83.5%), with an average of 42.08±13.18 years old, completed the survey. 44 Yang-deficiency type (22%), Gentleness type 38 (19%) and 26 Phlegm-wetness type (13%) have a relatively high proportion in TCM constitution types. The average score of the cupping mark color was 4.38 ± 1.58. Gender (β=-1.025, P=0.001) and health status (β=-0.678, P=0.003) were likely to be factors influencing the cupping marks color, with female’s cupping marks lighter than male and fibromyalgia syndrome patients have cupping marks lighter than the healthy individual. TCM constitution type, age, or BMI index are not considered to be associated with the color of cupping marks.
Conclusion: This cross-sectional survey of 200 respondents did not find correlation between TCM constitutional types and cupping marks color. Considering the limited sample size, it is suggested that future studies, should enroll respondents with similar health status and same gender to further explore the correlation between TCM constitutional types and the color of cupping marks while increasing the sample.
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Objects: To observe the correlation between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution types and cupping marks color.
Methods: The protocol of this cross-sectional study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No.ChiCTR2100045219). We recruited 100 fibromyalgia syndrome patients and 100 healthy individual, aged 18-75 years, from the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and nearby communities. First, a survey was conducted on the demographic data and TCM constitution of the respondents. Then, cups were retained at 6 acupoints (Bilateral BL13, BL15 and BL18) for 10 minutes. Color of each cupping mark was rated according to the cupping color rating chart. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0. The correlation between cupping marks color and possible influencing factors (health status, TCM constitution types, gender, age, BMI) was analyzed by linear regression.
Results: 33 males (16.50%) and 167 females (83.5%), with an average of 42.08±13.18 years old, completed the survey. 44 Yang-deficiency type (22%), Gentleness type 38 (19%) and 26 Phlegm-wetness type (13%) have a relatively high proportion in TCM constitution types. The average score of the cupping mark color was 4.38 ± 1.58. Gender (β=-1.025, P=0.001) and health status (β=-0.678, P=0.003) were likely to be factors influencing the cupping marks color, with female’s cupping marks lighter than male and fibromyalgia syndrome patients have cupping marks lighter than the healthy individual. TCM constitution type, age, or BMI index are not considered to be associated with the color of cupping marks.
Conclusion: This cross-sectional survey of 200 respondents did not find correlation between TCM constitutional types and cupping marks color. Considering the limited sample size, it is suggested that future studies, should enroll respondents with similar health status and same gender to further explore the correlation between TCM constitutional types and the color of cupping marks while increasing the sample.
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