Table 2.
Peak Parameters Of The Incremental Exercise Test After 12 Weeks Of Acupuncture Treatment And Follow-Up Data
| Week 0 (n=16) | Week 12 (n=16) | Week 16 (n=14) | Week 24 (n=13) | p-Value (F-Value)a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work rate, W | 47.5 (17.9) | 50.0 (18.0) | 50.7 (18.7) | 52.3 (20.1) | 0.142 (1.918) |
 O2, mL ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ min-1 |
14.3 (3.2) | 14.7 (3.9) | 15.0 (3.8) | 15.0 (4.0) | 0.018 (3.763) |
 O2, mL ⋅ min−1
|
854 (201) | 874 (229) | 879 (239) | 885 (221) | 0.039 (3.066) |
 CO2, mL ⋅ min−1
|
883 (232) | 921 (269) | 921 (257) | 931 (266) | 0.063 (2.630) |
| Dyspnoea, Borg scale | 6.1 (1.7) | 6.3 (1.8) | 6.1 (2.1) | 6.5 (1.9) | 0.809 (0.322) |
| Leg fatigue, Borg scale | 4.7 (2.7) | 4.8 (3.1) | 4.6 (3.0) | 4.9 (3.1) | 0.797 (0.340) |
 Te, L |
1.29 (0.33) | 1.32 (0.40) | 1.31 (0.36) | 1.34 (0.32) | 0.805 (0.328) |
 Ti -  Te, mL |
13.9 (14.3) | 6.4 (16.5) | 1.2 (25.7) | 17.5 (20.7) | 0.112 (2.125) |
| fR, breaths ⋅ min−1 | 29.1 (5.2) | 30.4 (5.9) | 29.6 (5.1) | 29.7 (4.6) | 0.334 (1.167) |
 E, L ⋅ min−1
|
37.0 (9.9) | 39.3 (12.0)* | 38.0 (9.7) | 39.6 (11.8) | 0.040 (3.048) |
 D/ T
|
0.37 (0.04) | 0.37 (0.05) | 0.36 (0.05) | 0.36 (0.04) | 0.383 (1.046) |
 E/ O2
|
43.7 (7.5) | 45.2 (8.0)* | 44.5 (9.4) | 45.1 (9.2) | 0.306 (1.246) |
 E/ CO2
|
42.2 (5.4) | 42.9 (5.8) | 42.2 (8.1) | 43.1 (7.9) | 0.631 (0.582) |
| HR, beats ⋅ min−1 | 121 (10) | 123 (13) | 125 (14) | 125 (14) | 0.264 (1.377) |
| SpO2, % | 91.4 (4.5) | 90.3 (4.7) | 90.1 (4.6) | 89.3 (5.2) | 0.132 (1.985) |
| SpO2-slope, % (L ⋅ min−1) −1 | −10 (0.2) | −11 (0.2) | −12 (0.2) | −12 (0.2) | 0.898 (0.197) |
| DFO2, % | 2.87 (0.50) | 2.79 (0.50)* | 2.81 (0.55) | 2.82 (0.62) | 0.341 (1.149) |
| PETCO2, mmHg | 35.8 (5.9) | 35.4 (5.8) | 35.8 (6.8) | 35.4 (7.7) | 0.740 (0.419) |
| FeCO2, % | 3.17 (0.45) | 3.13 (0.41) | 3.21 (0.58) | 3.14 (0.61) | 0.341 (1.150) |
| AT, mL ⋅ min−1 | 650 (168) | 647 (156) | 637 (125) | 640 (150) | 0.464 (0.875) |
| AT, % | 76.9 (10.2) | 74.1 (10.4) | 75.8 (10.1) | 72.7 (7.3) | 0.490 (0.824) |
| Dyspnoea break point, % | 75.6 (2.7) | 75.2 (2.6) | 79 (3.8) | 78.4 (2.9) | 0.722 (0.449) |
Notes: Data are presented as the mean (standard deviation). Treatment effect: mean difference from pre-treatment value; *P < 0.05, pre-treatment vs 12 weeks, paired t-test. Dyspnoea break points and ATs at pre-treatment, 12, 16, and 24 weeks were detectable in 15, 15, 14, and 13 patients and in 14, 14, 12, and 11 patients, respectively. aTime course effect of 12-week acupuncture treatment by one-way repeated measures analysis of variance.
Abbreviations: AT, anaerobic threshold; DFO2, difference between fractional content of inspired oxygen and fractional content of expired oxygen; FeCO2, fractional content of expired carbon dioxide; fR, breathing frequency; HR, heart rate; PETCO2, end-tidal partial pressure of CO2; 
D/
T, dead space/tidal volume ratio; SpO2, saturation pulse oxygenation; SpO2-slope, (SpO2 at peak exercise - SpO2 at rest)/(
O2 at peak exercise - 
O2 at rest); 
E, minute ventilation; 
CO2, CO2 output; 
O2, oxygen uptake; 
Ti - 
Te, inspiratory tidal volume - expiratory tidal volume.