This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82374291), 2022 &#34;Tianfu Qingcheng Plan&#34; Tianfu Science and Technology Leading Talents Project (Chuan Qingcheng No. 1090), the National TCM Clinical Excellent Talents Training Program (National TCM Renjiao Letter [2022] No. 1), &#34;100 Talent Plan&#34; Project of Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Hospital office [2021] 42), Special subject of scientific research of Sichuan Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2021MS539, 2023MS608), Sichuan Science Technology Program (2023ZYD0050, 24NSFJQ0077),&#34;Hundred Talents Program&#34; of the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (grant nos. 20-Q06) and Sichuan Philosophy and Social Science Planning Major Programs (SC22ZD010).

This is a before and after self-controlled trial of seven patients diagnosed with AECOPD complicated with sleep disorders from the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between December 2023 and January 2024. The clinical study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Clinical Research Approval Committee of the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (KY2022031).
1. Patient selection
<ol>
	<...

Acupoint and Ear Plaster Therapy for Treating Sleep Disorders in AECOPD Patients

<ol>
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Global strategy for the prevention, diagnosis and management of OPD: 2024 report Available from: <a target="_blank" href="https://goldcopd.org/2024-gold-report/">https://goldcopd.org/2024-gold-report/</a> (2024)</li><li>. International classifcation of sleep disorders Available from: <a target="_blank" href="https://aasm.org/clinical-resources/international-classification-sleep-disorders/">https://aasm.org/clinical-resources/international-classification-sleep-disorders/</a> (2014)</li><li>American Psychiatric Association. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. , (2022).</li><li>Tang, P. T., Yin, C. Y., Cai, L. 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L., Lin, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Clinical+observation+on+point+application+treating+80+patients+of+chronic+obstructive+pulmonary+diseases.">Clinical observation on point application treating 80 patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.</a> Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 56 (11), 948-952 (2015).</li><li>Wu, Z. L., Zhang, Q. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ancient+and+modern+research+on+Fei+shu+point.">Ancient and modern research on Fei shu point.</a> Liaoning Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 34 (04), 504-505 (2007).</li><li>Gu, Z. L., Xie, Y., Wang, Y., Xu, B. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Literature+analysis+on+the+mechanism+of+acupuncture+in+the+treatment+of+chronic+obstructive+pulmonary+disease.">Literature analysis on the mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.</a> Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 62 (22), 2003-2010 (2021).</li><li>Liu, X. L., Yi, K. L., Zhu, W. X., Mi, H., Yuan, Y. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Research+on+Acupoint+selection+for+insomnia+treated+by+auricular+acupoint+pressing+beans+based+on+data+mining+technology.">Research on Acupoint selection for insomnia treated by auricular acupoint pressing beans based on data mining technology.</a> Prog Mod Biomed. 22 (21), 4168-4174 (2022).</li><li>Du, B. X., Zhao, X. D., Wen, D., Xue, X. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

This study combined AA with EPT to explore the procedure and efficacy of the treatment of sleep disorders in patients with AECOPD. AA refers to the external treatment method of grinding specific drugs into powder and then mixing them into a paste with water, white wine or rice wine, vinegar, ginger juice, etc., and finally making the paste, pill, powder, paste, mud, cake and other dosage forms, which are applied to specific acupoints. Reviewing the literature on AA in the treatment of sleep disorder in the past ten years...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease characterized by incomplete reversibility of airflow limitation, with gradual progression, primarily involving the lungs, but also causing damage to various other organs outside the lungs. Its pathogenesis is mainly related to the regulation of apoptosis and promotion of inflammatory response by radical oxygen species (ROS) during oxidative stress (OS)1, affecting gene transcription and exacerbating protease-antiprotease imbalance finally2. It often causes chronic coughing, coughing up sputum, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, wheezing, and chest tightness. According to a WHO survey, COPD is the third leading cause of death globally, posing a serious threat to human health, and by 2060, the number of deaths from this disease will exceed 5.4 million annually3. Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) refers to acute changes in respiratory distress, cough, and sputum in COPD patients at baseline levels. AECOPD patients often experience shortened sleep time and decreased sleep quality due to various factors such as serious respiratory symptoms, nocturnal hypoxia, accompanying psychological problems, medication use, and socio-economic conditions4. Therefore, sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless leg syndrome (RLS), and insomnia, have become common complications for AECOPD patients, especially in elderly severe patients.
The reasons for sleep disorders in AECOPD patients include increased airway resistance and reduced airflow at night and/or in the morning, which aggravate ventilation disorders and ultimately lead to frequent awakenings, shortened sleep time, and difficulty falling asleep5,6. Moreover, the large financial burden of AECOPD on families makes patients often accompanied by anxiety, depression, and other psychological problems4. More notably, sleep disorders can, in turn, increase the risk of pulmonary hypertension in AECOPD patients and are closely related to higher disease severity, more frequent exacerbation, higher utilization of emergency medical services, and higher mortality rates7. According to the latest research, the prevalence of OSA, RLS, and insomnia in AECOPD patients, respectively, reached 29.1%, 21.6%, and 29.5%. Patients with OSA may have a higher risk of hypertension and diabetes. Patients with RLS are related to higher Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) score and a longer COPD duration(year). Furthermore, insomnia is more common in female patients8. Therefore, it is essential to carry out timely nursing interventions for AECOPD patients with sleep disorders.
At present, the clinical treatment of AECOPD patients mainly focuses on improving respiratory symptoms while ignoring sleep problems. In addition, benzodiazepines, melatonin, melatonin receptor agonists, and antipsychotics used by patients with severe sleep disorders have adverse reactions such as respiratory inhibition, drug dependence, cognitive impairment, dizziness, and somnolence; therefore, it is mostly used for acute sleep disorders, while it is limited in the application of chronic sleep disorders9. Other special intervention methods, including nocturnal oxygen therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, and pulmonary rehabilitation exercise, are not commonly used because of their high cost, unclear effect, and difficulty in clinical practice4. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find an effective, safe, and simple treatment for AECOPD patients with sleep disorders.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history and rich experience in the treatment of sleep disorders. Acupoint application (AA) and ear plaster therapy (EPT) are both traditional Chinese medicine techniques. A systematic review study also found that AA and EPT have significant curative effects in the treatment of primary insomnia10. In this study, we will elucidate in detail the process and efficacy of the two treatments for AECOPD, including the medical equipment used, acupoint selection, treatment procedure, nursing, treatment of related accidents, etc. By comparing the changes in the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) before and after treatment to evaluate their clinical efficacy, we aimed to provide a new reference for the clinical treatment of this kind of disease.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>75% alcohol cotton balls</td>
			<td>Shanghai Honglong Industrial Co., Ltd</td>
			<td>20231116</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Acupoint patches</td>
			<td>Jiangsu Guangyi Medical Dressing Co., Ltd</td>
			<td>20230718</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chinese herbal medicine</td>
			<td>Guangdong Kanghe Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd</td>
			<td>230802</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Magnetic treatment plaster</td>
			<td>Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory Co., Ltd</td>
			<td>233010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Medical disposable sterilization rubber gloves</td>
			<td>Shandong Yuyuan Latex Gloves Co., Ltd</td>
			<td>230806R22</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Medical hand disinfectants</td>
			<td>Shanghai Likang Disinfection High tech Co., Ltd</td>
			<td>20230113J</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Medical tape</td>
			<td>Minnesota Mining Manufacturing Medical Equipment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd</td>
			<td>23063GO</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile cotton swabs</td>
			<td>Shanghai Honglong Medical Equipment Co., Ltd</td>
			<td>20231108</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tweezers</td>
			<td>Yangzhou Huayue Technology Development Co., Ltd</td>
			<td>20231106</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

acupoint application combined with ear plaster therapy for treating sleep disorders with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a lung disease characterized by persistent airflow limitation, which is not fully reversible and progressive. Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) refers to acute changes in respiratory distress, cough, and sputum in COPD patients at baseline levels. Sleep disorders are a very common complication in patients with AECOPD. At present, long-term use of sedative-hypnotics alone has many side effects, such as mental and physical dependence and cognitive impairment. While the efficacy of other special intervention methods is not clear, and the cost is high, there is an urgent need for effective and safe treatment in clinics. Acupoint application and ear plaster therapy are considered the characteristic therapies of traditional Chinese medicine. They have the advantages of small side effects, high safety, and simple procedure. This study will elucidate in detail the specific process and efficacy of the two treatment methods for AECOPD complicated with sleep disorders, including medical devices used, selection of acupoints, procedure, and posttreatment care. This study is intended to provide a new reference for the clinical treatment modality of this type of disease.

Author Spotlight: Traditional Chinese Medicine for Sleep Disorders in Acute COPD &#8212; A Safe, Cost-Effective Approach

Acupoint Application Combined with Ear Plaster Therapy for Treating Sleep Disorders with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Our research focus is treatment of sleep disorders in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD through the application of acupoint application and the ear plaster therapy. We aim to investigate further this through traditional Chinese medicine techniques can effectively improve the symptoms or physical signs of patients. Our protocol also needs to add clinical data on whether acupoint application combined with ear plaster therapy can improve symptoms in the acute chronic obstructive pulmonary and the incorporated data.Our results provide an effective, safe, and simple treatment that can be applied to a wide range of diseases compared to the adverse effects of modern medicine medications and the high cost and the ineffective leaps of other specific treatments.

Based on the changes before and after treatment, it was found that the total PSQI scores and five components score results of PSQI, including time to fall asleep, sleep quality, sleep time, sleep disorders, and daytime function, were all lower than before, and the differences were statistically significant (P &#60; 0.05). However, there were not many changes before and after treatment regarding sleep efficiency (P = 0.056) and application of medications for sleeping (P = 0.103) (See Tab...

The present protocol describes the specific process and efficacy of the acupoint application combined with ear plaster therapy for sleep disorders in a patient with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including medical devices, selection of acupoints, operating methods, and posttreatment care.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a lung disease characterized by persistent airflow limitation, which is not fully reversible and ...

acupoint-application-combined-with-ear-plaster-therapy-for-treating

Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

Evaluating the Efficacy of the Acupoint Application Combined with Ear Plaster Therapy for Sleep Disorders

To begin, prepare all the required Chinese herbal medicines and other items such as acupoint patches, magnetic treatment plaster, sterile cotton swabs, et cetera. Take 30 grams each of Sinapis alba Linnaeus, Euphorbia kansui, and 10 grams of Asarum sieboldii Miq. After grinding the mixture, transfer the powder to a plastic bag for later use.Before treatment, prepare a paste of the herbal powder with ginger extract. Then place the paste on a curved plate for application. Next, create a comfortable, quiet, and clean environment for the patient.Ask the patient to sit upright with shoulders relaxed, and arms resting naturally on the knees. Then pull the curtains in the treatment room to ensure patient privacy and prevent them from catching a cold. Recheck the patient's details, including name, gender, age, and inpatient number.After washing and disinfecting hands with medical hand disinfectant, put on medical disposable sterilization rubber gloves. Select CV 22 on the patient's anterior cervical region and bilateral BL 13 on the back for auricular acupuncture. For ear plaster therapy, select CO 14, CO 16, TF 4 and AT 4.Use tweezers to clamp 75%alcohol cotton balls to disinfect the patient's acupoints. Clean the binaural CO 14, CO 16, TF 4, AT 4, CV 22, and bilateral BL 13 from the inside to the outside, centering on the accu point with a range of five centimeters. For acupuncture application, take the prepared medicine from the curved plate and divide it into three equal parts.Then use a tongue depressor to apply the ointment in a regular pattern to the center of the acupoint patches. After that, fix the prepared acupoint patches to the tiantu and faishu points. For ear plaster therapy, let the patient sit and stabilize one side of the oracle with one hand.Then using tweezers, Apply the magnetic treatment pill at CO 14, CO 16, TF 4 and AT 4, and repeat for the other ear. Tell the patient to secure the acupoint patches and keep the treatment area as dry and clean as possible to avoid dislodging them. Gently press the pill clockwise until the patient feels sensations like acid, numbness, bloating, pain, and heat, ensuring it is tolerable.Press auricular acupoints for five minutes each morning, noon, night, and before bed. The total PSQI score of time to fall asleep, sleep quality, sleep time, sleep disorders and daytime function were significantly reduced after treatment compared to before with statistically significant differences. There was no statistically significant improvement in sleep efficiency after treatment with a P-value of 0.056.The application of medications for sleeping did not change significantly after treatment with a P-value of 0.103.

310 Views.  Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  The present protocol describes the specific process and efficacy of the acupoint application combined with ear plaster therapy for sleep disorders in a patient with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including medical devices, selection of acupoints, operating methods, and posttreatment care.

Acupoint and Ear Plaster Therapy for Treating Sleep Disorders in AECOPD Patients

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