Abstract
METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, one hundred children with chronic cough were allocated to either a control group (n = 50) receiving conventional bronchodilator and inhaled corticosteroid therapy, or an observation group (n = 50) receiving conventional therapy plus acupoint application. Outcomes including cough symptom scores, Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), and visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain were assessed at baseline and after a 2-week intervention. The primary analysis employed multivariate regression to determine the independent effect of the intervention, adjusting for baseline scores and allergy history. BACKGROUND: This study explores the efficacy of acupoint application therapy in children with chronic coughs of varying severity. RESULTS: After treatment, both groups showed significant within-group improvements (all p < 0.001). However, inter-group comparisons revealed that the observation group achieved superior outcomes, with significantly lower post-treatment daytime cough scores (2.46 ± 0.28 vs. 2.68 ± 0.24, p < 0.001), nighttime cough scores (2.14 ± 0.36 vs. 3.04 ± 0.54, p < 0.001), and VAS scores (3.89 ± 1.35 vs. 5.52 ± 1.87, p < 0.001), alongside a higher LCQ score (15.61 ± 3.22 vs. 14.45 ± 3.17, p = 0.034). Multivariate analysis confirmed acupoint application as an independent factor associated with these improvements (adjusted mean difference for daytime cough: -0.21, p < 0.001) and a higher treatment response (adjusted odds ratio: 4.72, p = 0.007). Furthermore, within the observation group, patients with severe baseline pain exhibited a greater magnitude of improvement across all scores compared to those with mild pain (ΔVAS: 3.39 vs. 1.78, p = 0.017). The overall response rate was 85% in the observation group versus 81% in the control group (p = 0.041). No adverse reactions were reported. CONCLUSION: Acupoint application therapy is clinically effective in children with chronic coughs, with more pronounced efficacy observed in patients experiencing severe pain.