Observations on the Efficacy of Point Application for Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective Based on the theory of preventive treatment and constitution regulation, to observe the clinical efficacy of point application for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods Seventy-nine qi deficiency or yang deficiency patients in stable COPD were randomized into a treatment group of 40 cases and a control group of 39 cases. The control group received conventional medication and the treatment group additionally received point application in canicular days or the three-nine days in winter. The frequency of catching cold, the situation of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), constitution types and scores of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), pulmonary function [the level of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), the percentage of FEV1 in predicted value, FEV1’s ratio to forced vital capacity (FVC)], BODE index (body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea and exercise capacity index) and therapeutic effects were recorded in the two groups before and after the treatment. The correlation analysis was performed between the scores of constitution and the frequency of catching cold, AECOPD, syndrome scores of TCM, BODE index.Results The cold times, AECOPD attack times, times of hospitalization for AECOPD and syndrome scores of TCM were significantly changed in the treatment group after treatment (P0.05). After the treatment, the change of the BODE score in the treatment group was significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between the main abnormal constitution scores and the cold times, AECOPD attack times, times of hospitalization for AECOPD, syndrome scores of TCM in the treatment group after treatment (P<0.05,P<0.01). A significant negative correlation was found between the balanced constitution scores and the cold times, AECOPD attack times, times of hospitalization for AECOPD, syndrome scores of TCM in the treatment group after treatment (P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Point application is an effective method for stable COPD.