Long-term follow-up of the treatment for severe COVID-19 with qigong exercise and acupressure: A randomized controlled trial

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...

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Main Authors: Shuting Liu, Ranran Zhu, Chongjie Yao, Chao Zhan, Jinxiang Wang, Min Fang, Lei Fang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Integrative Medicine Research
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024000647
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author Shuting Liu
Ranran Zhu
Chongjie Yao
Chao Zhan
Jinxiang Wang
Min Fang
Lei Fang
author_facet Shuting Liu
Ranran Zhu
Chongjie Yao
Chao Zhan
Jinxiang Wang
Min Fang
Lei Fang
author_sort Shuting Liu
collection DOAJ
description 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).
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spelling doaj-art-12f9c3c5e2384d5f90d3b146f79fd4e72025-08-20T02:01:09ZengElsevierIntegrative Medicine Research2213-42202024-12-0113410108410.1016/j.imr.2024.101084Long-term follow-up of the treatment for severe COVID-19 with qigong exercise and acupressure: A randomized controlled trialShuting Liu0Ranran Zhu1Chongjie Yao2Chao Zhan3Jinxiang Wang4Min Fang5Lei Fang6School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Suzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Suzhou, ChinaSchool of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huangshi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei, ChinaSchool of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaSchool of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai, China; Corresponding author at: School of ReRehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.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).http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024000647COVID-19Randomized controlled trialQigongAcupressure
spellingShingle Shuting Liu
Ranran Zhu
Chongjie Yao
Chao Zhan
Jinxiang Wang
Min Fang
Lei Fang
Long-term follow-up of the treatment for severe COVID-19 with qigong exercise and acupressure: A randomized controlled trial
Integrative Medicine Research
COVID-19
Randomized controlled trial
Qigong
Acupressure
title Long-term follow-up of the treatment for severe COVID-19 with qigong exercise and acupressure: A randomized controlled trial
title_full Long-term follow-up of the treatment for severe COVID-19 with qigong exercise and acupressure: A randomized controlled trial
title_fullStr Long-term follow-up of the treatment for severe COVID-19 with qigong exercise and acupressure: A randomized controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed Long-term follow-up of the treatment for severe COVID-19 with qigong exercise and acupressure: A randomized controlled trial
title_short Long-term follow-up of the treatment for severe COVID-19 with qigong exercise and acupressure: A randomized controlled trial
title_sort long term follow up of the treatment for severe covid 19 with qigong exercise and acupressure a randomized controlled trial
topic COVID-19
Randomized controlled trial
Qigong
Acupressure
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024000647
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