Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory airway disease that is both prevalent and preventable. Effective detection and treatment at an early stage are crucial for delaying the progression of COPD and improving patient outcomes. However, early diagnosis of COPD is still a great challenge for modern medicine, and further research is needed to address this issue.

Methods: In this study, rat models of COPD were employed to examine the alterations in blood perfusion at Feishu (BL13) on the body surface, as well as at control non-acupoints and other meridian points (Taichong, Yanglingquan and Zusanli), throughout the course of COPD onset, establishment and improvement. Correlations between lung pathology (levels of mean linear intercept, bronchitis scores, interleukin-1β and interleukin-6) and blood perfusion at BL13, control non-acupoints, Taichong and Yanglingquan were analyzed.

Results: The findings revealed that blood perfusion specifically at BL13 increased with the progression of COPD, while it decreased during disease recovery. Compared with other monitoring points, the blood perfusion at BL13 had more positive correlations with lung pathological changes, which is consistent with the trend of disease severity.

Conclusion: Blood perfusion at BL13, a traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic method, may serve as an early warning biomarker for COPD. Therefore, utilizing this approach could aid in the early detection of COPD. Please cite this article as: Yang HM, Chang J, Wu JR, Hu QQ, Zhang CL, Zou Y, et al. Blood perfusion at Feishu (BL13): A potential early warning biomarker for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. J Integr Med. 2026; 24(2):238-252.

Key words: Acupoints, Blood perfusion, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Laser speckle imaging