Shuting Liu , Ranran Zhu , Chongjie Yao , Chao Zhan , Jinxiang Wang , Min Fang , Lei Fang
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Most clinical trials have reported significant short-term effects of traditional medicine therapies on COVID-19 patients. However, there is no clinical trial to determine the long-term effects of traditional medicine therapies on severe COVID-19 patients.
Methods
A total of 128 patients with severe COVID-19, who were recruited in our previous clinical trial following hospital discharge, were monitored at months 14 and 28. This trial aims to evaluate the long-term effect of an early Qigong exercise and acupressure rehabilitation program on patients with severe COVID-19.The intervention group received qigong exercise and acupressure therapy, plus standard therapies. The control group received standard therapies.The study was a single-center, parallel, randomized, prospective follow-up study. The outcomes of the study included changes in the modified Borg dyspnea scale (MBS), the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC), the patient health questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9), the activity of daily living (ADL), the remaining clinical symptoms and any intervention related adverse events.
Results
The intervention group showed a statistically significant improvement in the mMRC scores (−0.4, 95 % CI (−0.6, 0.2), P < 0.001) and the MBS scores (−0.6, 95 % CI (−0.9, −0.3), P < 0.001) after 14 months of discharge compared with the control group. At 28 months of discharge, the intervention group, compared with the control group alone, significantly increased their MBS scores (−0.4, 95 % CI (−0.7, −0.1), P = 0.024) and a significantly decreased positive rate of dyspnea symptoms after 14 months of discharge (P < 0.05). However, ADL and PHQ-9 scores showed no significant difference between the two groups during the follow-up (P > 0.05).
Conclusions
QARP had long-term sustained efficacy for dyspnea, chest tightness, and cough in patients with COVID-19, especially in young and middle-aged patients, and the effect was significant at the 14th month of follow-up.
Trial registration
This trial was registered at the China Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100044572).
期刊介绍：
Integrative Medicine Research (IMR) is a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal focused on scientific research for integrative medicine including traditional medicine (emphasis on acupuncture and herbal medicine), complementary and alternative medicine, and systems medicine. The journal includes papers on basic research, clinical research, methodology, theory, computational analysis and modelling, topical reviews, medical history, education and policy based on physiology, pathology, diagnosis and the systems approach in the field of integrative medicine.
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