[Press needle exercise therapy for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized controlled trial].

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Integrative Medicine
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a major global health concern, characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation.
• Current management strategies for stable COPD focus on symptom relief, exacerbation prevention, and improving quality of life.
• Novel therapeutic approaches are needed to enhance clinical outcomes for patients with stable COPD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical efficacy of press needle exercise therapy compared to standard pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with stable COPD.
• To assess the impact of press needle therapy on pulmonary function, exercise tolerance, and symptom burden.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving sixty patients with stable COPD.
• Participants were assigned to either a control group (pulmonary rehabilitation) or an observation group (press needle therapy plus pulmonary rehabilitation).
• Key outcome measures included pulmonary function tests (FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEV1%), the 6-minute walk test (6 MWT), and the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, assessed before and after an 8-week intervention period.

Main Results:

• Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in pulmonary function and 6 MWT, and reductions in CAT scores (P<0.05).
• The press needle therapy group exhibited superior improvements in FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEV1%, and 6 MWT, along with lower CAT scores compared to the control group (P<0.05).
• The total effective rate was significantly higher in the press needle group (86.2%) versus the control group (60.7%) (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

• Press needle exercise therapy is an effective intervention for stable COPD patients.
• This therapy significantly alleviates clinical symptoms, enhances pulmonary function, and improves exercise tolerance and quality of life.
• Press needle therapy represents a valuable addition to the management of stable COPD.