title: [Regulatory effects of acupuncture on exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at stable phase: a randomized controlled trial].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify the regulatory effects of acupuncture on exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at stable phase.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty cases of COPD were randomly divided into a treatment group (16 cases) and a placebo group (14 cases). Based on specified aerobic exercise, acupuncture was applied in the treatment group and placebo acupuncture was used in the placebo group. The acupoints included Danzhong (CV 17), Rugen (ST 18), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25) and so on. The needle did not penetrate into the skin for the placebo group. The treatment was required for 2 to 3 times per week for totally 5 weeks. The indices of exercise tolerance, including 6-min walking distance (6-MWD), exercise time, maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC), maximum ventilatory volume (MVV), St. George respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) were observed in two groups before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) Exercise tolerance: the differences of 6-MWD and exercise time were statistically significant between groups, which were more superior in the treatment group (both P<0.01); the VO2max was significantly increased after treatment in the treatment group (P<0.05), but there was no difference between two groups (P>0.05). (2) Pulmonary ventilation function: the differences of FEV1%, FEV1/FVC and MVV% were statistically significant between groups, which were more superior in the treatment group (P<0.05, P<0.01); (3) SGRQ: the SGRQ was significantly improved after treatment in the treatment group (P<0.05), but there was no difference between two groups (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The acupuncture could improve the exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at stable phase, and shorten the onset time of aerobic exercise. Besides, acupuncture combined with aerobic exercise could effectively improve the pulmonary function.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Yong-mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Gui-yuan
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000368:Aged; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*