Objectives: To observe the body surface temperature of the lumbosacral region and relevant back-shu points in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) induced low back pain utilizing infrared thermography, and to explore the functional attribute changes of acupoints under pathological conditions.
Methods: A total of 50 patients with LDH induced low back pain were included as the observation group, and 45 healthy subjects were included as the control group. Using infrared thermography, the body surface temperature of the lumbosacral region and bilateral Sanjiaoshu (BL 22), Shenshu (BL 23), Qihaishu (BL 24), Dachangshu (BL 25), Guanyuanshu (BL 26), Xiaochangshu (BL 27), and Pangguangshu (BL 28) was measured in both groups. The temperature difference values between the bilateral lumbosacral regions and back-shu points of the two groups were calculated. Additionally, the body surface temperature of the affected and healthy sides of the lumbosacral region and relevant back-shu points was compared in the observation group.
Results: Compared with the control group, the body surface temperature of the lumbosacral region and the bilateral temperature difference values of the lumbosacral regions were increased in the observation group (P<0.001). The body surface temperature difference values of bilateral Shenshu (BL 23), Qihaishu (BL 24), Dachangshu (BL 25), Guanyuanshu (BL 26) and Xiaochangshu (BL 27) in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001). In the observation group, the body surface temperature of the affected side of the lumbosacral region as well as Shenshu (BL 23) and Dachangshu (BL 25) was elevated compared with that of healthy side (P<0.001).
Conclusions: The patients with LDH induced low back pain have imbalanced and asymmetrical distribution of body surface temperature in the lumbosacral region and related back-shu points, Shenshu (BL 23) and Dachangshu (BL 25) have the relative specificity.
目的: 基于红外热成像技术观察腰椎间盘突出症（LDH）腰痛患者腰骶部及相关背俞穴的表皮温度，探究病理状态下腧穴的功能属性变化。方法: 纳入50例LDH腰痛患者作为观察组、45例健康受试者作为对照组。应用红外热像仪检测两组受试者腰骶部及双侧三焦俞、肾俞、气海俞、大肠俞、关元俞、小肠俞、膀胱俞的穴位表皮温度，计算两组受试者双侧腰骶部、背俞穴表皮温度差，比较观察组患者患侧与健侧腰骶部及相关背俞穴表皮温度。结果: 与对照组比较，观察组患者腰骶部表皮温度及双侧腰骶部表皮温度差升高（P<0.001）。观察组患者双侧肾俞、气海俞、大肠俞、关元俞、小肠俞表皮温度差较对照组升高（P<0.05，P<0.01，P<0.001）。观察组患者患侧腰骶部及肾俞、大肠俞表皮温度较健侧升高（P<0.001）。结论: LDH 腰痛患者腰骶部及相关背俞穴表皮温度左右失衡、不对称分布，肾俞、大肠俞存在穴位的相对特异性。.
Keywords: acupoint specificity; back-shu points; body surface temperature; infrared thermography; low back pain; lumbar disc herniation; lumbosacral region.