Finger skin blood perfusion during exposure of ulnar and median nerves to the static magnetic field of a rare-earth magnet: A randomized pilot study

This pilot study’s goal was to investigate the impacts of static magnetic fields (SMF) on finger skin blood perfusion (SBP) when exposing the ulnar artery and ulnar and medial nerves to a rare earth concentric magnet for 30 minutes. Control SBP was measured in 4th fingers of adults (n = 12, age 26.0 ± 1.4 years) for 15 minutes using laser-Doppler. Then, active-magnets were placed over one arm’s ulnar and median nerves at the wrist and sham-magnets placed at corresponding sites on the other arm. Devices were randomly assigned and placed by an investigator “blinded” to device type. The maximum SMF perpendicular to skin was 0.28 T measured 2 mm from magnet surface. The tangential field at this distance was 0.20 T. SBP was analyzed and tested for differential effects attributable to magnets compared to shams in each of the 5-minute intervals over the full 45-minute experiment. Results showed no statistically significant difference between SBP measured on the magnet-treated side compared to the sham side. Magnet and sham side SBP values (mean ± SEM, arbitrary units) prior to device placement were 0.568 ± 0.128 vs. 0.644 ± 0.115, p = .859 and during device placement were 0.627 ± 0.135 vs. 0.645 ± 0.117, p = .857. In conclusion, these findings have failed to uncover any significant effects of the static magnetic field on skin blood perfusion in the young healthy adult population evaluated. Its potential for altering SBP in more mature persons or those with underlying conditions affecting blood flow has not been evaluated but represents the next target of research inquiry.