What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Case-Control. Population: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (n=108). Intervention: TCM constitution-based health management vs. Routine health guidance. Primary outcome: Change in COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score at 6 months (Adjusted mean difference 3.26, 95% CI 2.38-4.14, p=<0.001).

December 1, 2025Open Access

Application Study of Health Management Model Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution Identification in COPD Patients: A Retrospective Analysis

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

TCM constitution-based health management significantly improved COPD Assessment Test scores by an adjusted mean difference of 3.26 points compared to routine health guidance over 6 months.

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

TCM constitution-based health management significantly improves COPD Assessment Test scores by an adjusted mean difference of 3.26 points compared to routine health guidance over 6 months. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

TLTao LiangHebei University of Engineering NANing AnHebei University of Engineering YHYanqiu HuangHebei University of Engineering

Key Result

TCM constitution-based health management significantly improved COPD Assessment Test scores by an adjusted mean difference of 3.26 points compared to routine health guidance over 6 months.

Study Design

Type

Case-Control (n=108)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Does a health management model based on traditional Chinese medicine constitution identification improve CAT scores and FEV1 in patients with COPD?

Population

108 patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) from a single hospital respiratory department. The observation group was younger, had shorter disease duration, and better baseline lung function (all GOLD II vs 55.6% GOLD III in controls).

Intervention

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution-based health management

Comparator

Routine health guidance

Outcome

COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores and Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) at 6 monthspatient reported

TCM constitution-based health management may improve symptoms and lung function in COPD patients, though significant baseline imbalances in this retrospective study necessitate confirmation via prospective RCTs.

Main Result

Effect estimate: Adjusted mean difference 3.26 (95% CI 2.38-4.14)

Absolute Event Rate: 2.62% vs 0.04%

p-value: p=<0.001

Limitations

Significant baseline differences between groups (age, disease duration, lung function)
Retrospective case-control design inherently susceptible to selection bias and information bias
Assessment of TCM constitution relies on the experience and judgment of physicians, introducing potential subjectivity

Abstract

Objective: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate a health management model based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution identification in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients. Methods: This retrospective case-control study selected 108 COPD patients from the Respiratory Department of our hospital, divided into an observation group (n=54, receiving TCM constitution-based health management) and a control group (n=54, receiving routine health guidance). Primary outcome measures included COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores and Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1). Results: After 6 months, the observation group showed improvements in CAT scores (baseline: 24.93±2.61 to 6 months: 22.31±2.12, p<0.001) and FEV1 values (baseline: 1.34±0.71 L to 6 months: 1.79±0.73 L, p<0.001). After propensity score matching, clinical response rates remained higher in the observation group (CAT: 48.8% vs 18.6%; FEV1: 72.1% vs 7.0%, both p<0.001). However, significant baseline differences existed between groups, with the observation group being younger, having shorter disease duration, and better baseline lung function (all GOLD II vs 55.6% GOLD III in controls). Conclusion: This retrospective study provides preliminary evidence suggesting potential value of TCM constitution-based health management in COPD patients. However, significant baseline differences and methodological limitations necessitate cautious interpretation. Well-designed prospective randomized controlled trials with matched cohorts are essential to establish efficacy definitively.

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