Opportunities of the Akabane Test for Diagnosis and Monitoring of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Background: In view of its prevalence, type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a socially significant disease, which affects millions of patients. Despite the significant advances in modern medicine, there are problems with early diagnosis and effective treatment of this disease, especially at home. In this regard, it would be interesting to pay attention to the possibility of diagnosing and treating this disease from reverse the viewpoint of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).Methods/Design: In order to assess patterns of heat sensitivity thresholds of acupuncture channels (AC) in patients with T2D, the Akabane test was carried out on with 116 men and 190 women. For comparison, a group of healthy subjects made up of 112 men and 277 women was also used.Results: Simple effects of paired comparisons between healthy subjects and T2D in groups of men and women, showed significant differences. The most significant differences are seen in the AC connected with the digestive system. In this case, the greatest diagnostic value is the level of asymmetry between the right and left branches of these AC, which varies in proportion to the level of glycaemia. Changes in the AC are stable and precede the manifestation of the functional and organic disorders inherent in this disease. This dependence allows for early T2D diagnostics and individual monitoring.Conclusion: The combination of the Akabane test with the use of mathematical analysis in patients with T2D makes it possible to trace the entire chain of carbohydrate metabolism at an individual level and to identify regulatory violation and the compensatory mechanisms for more effective therapeutic effects.