Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026

Auricular Acupuncture as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Sleep Disorders
Published on: August 18, 2023
Clinical efficacy of chronotherapy-based auricular acupoint therapy combined with CPAP in comorbid obstructive sleep
Fei-Fei Lin1, Yao-Qi Xu1, Jie-Ru Wu1
1Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wenzhou Central Hospital, Wenzhou 325000 Zhejiang Province, China.
Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of chronotherapy-based auricular acupoint therapy combined with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in improving respiratory function and sleep outcomes in patients with comorbid obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia (COMISA).
Methods:
A total of 114 patients with COMISA were randomly assigned to three groups: a control group, an auricular acupoint group, or a chronotherapy-based auricular acupoint group (n = 38 per group). The control group received CPAP alone; the auricular acupoint group received conventional auricular acupoint therapy in addition to CPAP; and the chronotherapy-based auricular acupoint group received chronotherapy-based auricular acupoint therapy combined with CPAP. Outcomes were evaluated using polysomnographic measures and validated sleep-related assessment scales.
Results:
Post-treatment analyses indicated statistically significant reductions in apnea-hypopnea index, hypopnea index, apnea index, longest duration of obstructive apnea, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores across all three groups, alongside significant increases in nocturnal minimum oxygen saturation (p < 0.05). In both the auricular acupoint group and the chronotherapy-based auricular acupoint group, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores decreased significantly after treatment (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, greater improvements were observed in all outcome measures in both intervention groups (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed between the chronotherapy-based auricular acupoint group and the auricular acupoint group in respiratory-related indices or nocturnal oxygen saturation (p > 0.05); however, PSQI, ESS, and ISI scores were significantly lower in the chronotherapy-based auricular acupoint group (p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
The combination of chronotherapy-based auricular acupoint therapy with CPAP resulted in significant improvements in nocturnal hypoventilation, hypoxemia, sleep quality, and daytime somnolence in patients with COMISA. This integrative approach was more effective in alleviating sleep-related symptoms compared with conventional auricular acupoint therapy combined with CPAP.
More Related Videos
04:53Acupoint Application Combined with Ear Plaster Therapy for Treating Sleep Disorders with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: October 18, 2024
04:59Heat-sensitive Moxibustion as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Insomnia
Published on: May 30, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Management of Insomnia
Insomnia
Multiple factors contribute...
Chronopharmacokinetics: Circadian Rhythms and Influence on Drug Response
The time of drug administration is an important factor to consider, as it can influence the toxic dose of a drug. For example, a study conducted by Prins et al. in 1997 examined the effects of the timing of...
Sleep Apnea
The condition is more prevalent among...