Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Conditions
Brief summary
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is nowadays the 4th cause of death in the world and it´s expected to become the 3rd cause of death in 2020 and the majority cause of morbidity. Besides that, in Portugal COPD patients become more dependents each day. Acupuncture as a reflex therapy it´s carried out through a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnose that will allowed to identify the acupoints. The investigators are interested in to assess acupuncture efficacy on physical exercise tolerance in COPD patients.An experimental, controlled, randomized, double blind study was done. Patients were recruited according TCM diagnose to optimize potential therapeutic effects.
Interventions
PROCEDUREacupuncture
The patients were randomized in two groups, one verum acupuncture, submitted to real acupuncture treatment, and the other sham acupuncture, treated with false acupuncture
Sponsors
Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)
Masking description
Patients didn´t know what kind of therapy they were submitted The acupuncturist was a nurse, able to do invasive procedures with no knowledge of Chinese Medicine, and totally blind in terms of the verum or sham acupuncture.
Intervention model description
The patients were randomized in two groups, one verum acupuncture, submitted to real acupuncture treatment, and the other sham acupuncture, treated with false acupuncture. The method used to randomized was flipping a coin, when got heads they went to verum group and when got tails they went to sham group.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* COPD GOLD III,IV; * able to walk; * Informed consent signed; * stable medication during last 3 days * exacerbation during 3 months; * Chinese diagnose opening principle; * blood pressure 90180 mmhg/ 100mmhg; respiratory rate 1030 cpm
Exclusion criteria
* smoker; * metastasis; * hepatic, * renal or cardiovascular disease; * pulmonary hypertension; * COPD symptoms exacerbation during the therapy; * previous acupuncture treatments; * unstable vital signs; * pulmonary rehabilitation in the last 6 months; * needle phobia.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| six minute walk test (6MWT) | 6 minutes | distance walked (metres) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Oxygen peripheral saturation (SPO2) | 6 minutes | pulse oximeter |
| Rating of perceived exertion (Borg Scale) | 6 minutes | during 6MWT |
| Blood pressure | 6 minutes | measure at end of 6MWT |
| heart rate | 6 minutes | at end of 6MWT |
Countries
Portugal
Outcome results
None listed