Effects of acupoint-enhanced external counterpulsation on exercise capacity and cardiovascular events in patients with chronic coronary syndrome based on qi-blood theory
REN Leiyuan
TANG Rongxin
LI Ming
CHEN Yun
SUN Qiong
LIU Xincan
Abstract：Objective To investigate the effects of acupoint-enhanced external counterpulsation(EECP)on exercise capacity and cardiovascular events in patients with chronic coronary syndrome(CCS)based on qi-blood theory.Methods The patients with CCS and qi-deficiency blood-stasis pattern(n=80)were selected into control group and acupoint group(each n=40)based on random digital table method in the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from Sept.2023 to Sept.2024.The control group was treated with conventional Western medicine combined with EECP,while the acupoint group received conventional Western medicine plus acupoint-EECP.Both groups underwent treatment once daily,with each session lasting 35～50 minutes,for a total of 35 sessions.The changes of TCM syndrome scores,peak oxygen consumption(Peak VO2),anaerobic threshold oxygen consumption(VO2AT),metabolic equivalent(MET)and scores of Seattle Angina Questionnaire(SAQ),and occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)were compared between 2 groups.Results After 3 months of intervention,the TCM syndrome scores decreased in both groups(P<0.050),and the scores of acupoint group were lower than those in control group at all time points(P<0.050).The levels of Peak VO2,VO2AT and MET were higher in acupoint group than those in control group(P<0.050).The scores of all dimensions of SAQ were higher than those before treatment in both groups(P<0.050),and acupoint group showed significantly better performance than control group in terms of angina stability,angina attack frequency and treatment satisfaction scores(P<0.050).During the 6-month follow-up,the incidence of MACE(7.5%)was lower in the acupoint group than that in control group(17.5%,P<0.050).Conclusion The acupoint-EECP under guidance of qi-blood theory can effectively relieve clinical symptoms,improve exercise capacity and quality of life,reduce MACE risk,and it was worth clinical promoting.
Keywords：chronic coronary syndromeacupoint-enhanced external counterpulsationqi-blood theoryexercise capacitycardiovascular events
Publication Date：2026-01-20
Online Publishing Date：2026-03-25(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 59-63 )