Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) often coexists with Pulmonary Hypertension (PH). Chronic fatigue is prevalent among patients with COPD-related PH (PH-COPD), significantly impacting patients' quality of life. Existing treatment measures for PH-COPD have limited efficacy in alleviating chronic fatigue. As a promising alternative therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), wheat grain moxibustion (a form of moxibustion therapy) has demonstrated unique advantages in adjuvant treatment for chronic fatigue associated with various diseases in recent years. This study aims to elaborate on the specific methods of treating PH-COPD-related chronic fatigue using wheat grain moxibustion and establish a standardized protocol. This protocol meticulously outlines patient selection criteria, applicable equipment, acupuncture point selection principles, treatment course settings, postoperative care, and emergency handling measures. During the treatment, specific acupuncture points are gently stimulated with five small moxa cones placed on each point, once daily, for a duration of 2 weeks. To objectively reflect changes before and after treatment, efficacy assessment employs indicators such as the Fatigue Scale-14 (FS-14), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), EMPHASIS-10 scores, Partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2), and the Six-Minute Walk Distance (6MWD). Preliminary clinical data suggest that wheat grain moxibustion can effectively alleviate chronic fatigue in PH-COPD patients, and enhance their exercise tolerance and quality of life, with minimal adverse effects. This method is simple, cost-effective, and holds broad application potential. By developing a detailed protocol, we hope to provide a new therapeutic option for more patients suffering from PH-COPD-related chronic fatigue, while also fostering further research and development in this field.
Cao et al. (Tue,) studied this question.