title: [Comparative research on effect of warm needling therapy on pulmonary function and life quality of patients with COPD in the stable phase].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effects on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the stable phase treated with warm needling therapy and Seretide. To make the comparison of improvements between two therapies in terms of the clinical symptoms and life quality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty cases were randomly divided into a warm needling group and a Seretide group, 30 cases in each one. In warm needling group, acupuncture with filiform needle was applied mainly to Dingchuan (EX-B 1), Feishu (BL 13) and Zusanli (ST 36). Warm needling therapy was supplemented on back-shu point and Zusanli (ST 36), once every other day, thrice each week. In Seretide group, Seretide inhalant was applied, one inhalation, 2 times each day. After 8-week treatment, the changes in pulmonary function such as forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), clinical symptoms, and the score of St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were observed in two groups and the comparison of them was conducted between groups and within each group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pulmonary function indices such as FEV1 were all improved effectively in two groups (all P < 0.05). After 4-week treatment, the improvement in respiratory symptoms was superior in Seretide group as compared with warm needling group (P < 0.05). In terms of the improvement in general symptoms such as chills and fever, the result in warm needling group was better than that in Seretide group (P < 0.05). The efficacies were similar between two groups in 8-week treatment. Concerning to the improvement of life quality, the result in warm needling group was slightly better than that in Seretide group (the improvement value 12.8413.43 vs 10.21 +/- 3.89, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Warm needling therapy improves the pulmonary function of the patients with COPD in the stable phase, releases clinical symptoms and improves life quality. Its effects are similar to those of Seretide.
authors: Acupuncture-Moxibustion Department, Suzhou Municipal Hospital of TCM, Suzhou 215003, Jiangsu Province, China. kaochieech@yahoo.com.cn
authors: J ie
authors: Ji
authors: Gao
authors: Ba-Si
authors: BS
authors: Ouyang
authors: Gang
authors: G
authors: Sun
authors: Chun
authors: C
authors: Fan
authors: Yuan-Jian
authors: YJ
authors: Wu
authors: Ling-Ling
authors: LL
authors: Ji
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests