Clinical Study on the Combination of Digital Respiratory Training System and Traditional Chinese Medicine Five Elements Music for Respiratory Difficulty in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

This study investigated the clinical efficacy of a digital respiratory training system integrated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) five-element music for treating respiratory distress in patients experiencing acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Fifty-four patients were randomized into two groups, intervention, and control, with each group comprising 27 participants. The control group received conventional clinical medications, though 17 participants were lost to follow-up. In addition to standard care, the intervention group was treated with a digital respiratory training system combined with TCM five-element music, administered over 5-7 days. Outcomes were assessed using the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), TCM syndrome differentiation scores, lung function tests, maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP). Baseline comparisons between the two groups showed no significant differences in CAT scores, TCM syndrome scores, or PSQI (p > 0.05). Post-treatment results revealed substantial reductions in CAT scores and TCM syndrome scores in the experimental group (p < 0.05), indicating an improvement in respiratory symptoms and quality of life. However, changes in PSQI were not statistically significant (p > 0.05), suggesting that the intervention did not substantially impact sleep quality and anxiety levels. This indicates that while the combined approach of digital respiratory training and TCM music can alleviate respiratory distress and improve overall well-being in COPD patients, its effects on sleep disturbances and anxiety are limited.