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Measurement of Electrical Skin Impedance of Dermal-Visceral Zones as a Diagnostic Tool for Disorders of the Immune System

Allergy, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy

E Zimlichman

Department of Medicine ‘B’, Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel

D Ventura

Allergy, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy

V Fanelli

Allergy, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy

P Riboldi

Allergy, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy

PL Meroni

Allergy, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy, pierluigi.meroni{at}unimi.it

Among complementary medicine approaches, diagnostic screening tools based on neuroreflexology have been recently developed. Such techniques are based on the rationale that measurement of electrical impedance of specific dermal zones might reflect the occurrence of pathological states in the corresponding internal organs or systems. Our objective was to evaluate the reliability of a neuroreflexology-based diagnostic test in diagnosing immune-mediated diseases in a blinded single centre study. Seventy-eight patients with immune-mediated diseases (38 patients with autoimmune diseases (AD), and 40 allergic patients) were included in the study. Thirty age and sex matched healthy subjects were also evaluated as a control group. All the patients and subjects underwent conventional medical history and physical examination. We evaluated a device manufactured by Medex Screen Ltd (Arad, Israel). The Medex Test analysis was carried out by a second physician who was blinded to the previous diagnosis. A high correlation between the formal clinical diagnosis and the results of the measurement of electrical skin impedance was reported, with a specificity of 93.3% and a sensitivity of 81.2%. Both sensitivity and specificity dropped when analysing the autoimmune and the allergic group separately, but remained significant for the autoimmune diseases. Degree of activity of the allergic disorders, or specific treatment, did not affect the diagnostic properties of the described device. The Medex Test neurophysiology based technique has the potential to serve as a diagnostic tool for immune based pathologies. Future studies will define this tool place in routine evaluation and potential screening ability.

Key Words: allergic diseases • Medex screen • non-conventional medicine • skin impedance • systemic autoimmune diseases

Lupus, Vol. 15, No. 7, 457-461 (2006)
DOI: 10.1191/0961203306lu2333oa


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