Health Effect of Forest Bathing Trip on Elderly Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Forest bathing trip is a short, leisurely visit to forest. In this study we determined the health effects of forest bathing trip on elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. One group was sent to forest, and the other was sent to an urban area as control. Flow cytometry, ELISA, and profile of mood states （POMS） evaluation were performed. In the forest group,

Effect of warming needle moxibustion on pulmonary function of elderly patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objective To observe the therapeutic effects of warming needle moxibustion on pulmonary function of elderly patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Method Eighty elderly patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were divided randomly into an acupuncture group and a drug group, with forty cases in each group. The patients in the acupuncture group were treated with warming needle moxibustion on specific acupoints. Main acupoints include Zusanli （足三里 ST 36）, Feishu （肺俞 BL 13） and Dingchuan （定喘 EX-B 1）. Matching acupoints include Gaohuang （膏肓 BL 43）, Xinshu （心俞 BL 15）, Dazhui （大椎 GV 14） and Fangmen （风门 BE 12）. The acupoints were punctured with even reinforcing and reducing method. Meanwhile, two moxa stick of warming needle moxibustion were applied separately at the acupoints at back and ST 36. The needles were retained for approximately 0.5 h each time. The treatment was given every other day, 3 times a week and the course of treatment was 8 weeks. Patients in the drug group were treated by seretide inhalation （50 μg salmeterol and 250 μg fluticasone propionate）, twice a day for 8 weeks. The improvement in pulmonary function and the symptom of chills and fever were compared between the two groups. Results After treatment, pulmonary function indices [forced expiratory volume in one second （FEV1）, forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity （FEVl/FVC）, forced expiratory volume in one second to predicted value ratio （FEV1%） and peak expiratory flow （PEF）] of the patients in both groups were improved significantly compared with that before treatment （P〈0.05）. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups （all P〉0.05）. Improvement in comprehensive scores of the symptom of chill and fever in the acupuncture group was significantly superior to that in the drug group after 4 and 8 weeks of the treatment, respectively （P〈0.05）. Conclusion Warming needle moxibustion was obviously effective on the improvement in pulmonary function of elderly patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The relationship between the expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 and the airway remodeling in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objective To investigate the relationship between the expression of trannsient receptor potential vanilloid(TRPV1)and the severity of airway remodeling in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods According to airflow obstruction severity,totally 100 cases of elderly patients with