Effect of acupuncture and exercise rehabilitation on quality of life in acute coronary syndrome patients after percutaneous coronary intervention

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the impact of acupuncture combined with exercise rehabilitation on the quality of life in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: In a retrospective study at the Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 114 post-PCI ACS patients were analyzed from March 2021 to June 2023. Fifty-five underwent exercise rehabilitation (control group), while 59 received both acupuncture and exercise rehabilitation (joint group). Propensity score matching reduced each group to 38 patients. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) scores, 6-minute walk distance, cardiac function, and biochemical indices were evaluated pre- and post-intervention. The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) measured quality of life changes, categorizing scores <24 as good and ≥24 as poor. Logistic regression identified factors affecting quality of life. RESULTS: The joint group showed significant improvements in TCM scores, 6-minute walk distance, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiac output, cardiac index, and levels of CK-MB, cTnT, and homocysteine compared to the control group (P<0.05). MLHFQ scores for physical limitations and disease symptoms decreased significantly in the joint group, with no marked changes in social relationship scores (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture alongside exercise rehabilitation significantly improves quality of life, cardiac function, and biochemical markers in ACS patients post-PCI, surpassing the effects of rehabilitation alone. This combination approach notably diminishes symptoms and improves daily functioning.