Effectiveness of a laseracupuncture protocol on post- covid-19 fatigue and lung capacity: a quasi-experimental study

Objective: Quasi-experimental study approved by the Ethics Committee for Research with Human Beings ­ COPEP of the State University of Maringá, Opinion nº. 5,262,784, whose objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of laser acupuncture as a complementary therapeutic approach in the treatment of fatigue and lung capacity in post-COVID patients. Materials and method: In February and March 2023, at the nursing clinic of the State University of Paraná, Campus Paranavaí, 23 patients were recruited from the academic community (students, professors and university agents) of the university itself, with a median age of 24 years old (IQR = 22.0, 32.0), with a previous diagnosis of COVID-19 and who had symptoms of fatigue and a complaint of respiratory distress for at least four weeks after recovery from the acute phase of the disease. Demographic, socioeconomic, and general health and COVID-19 related data were collected. The patients were treated with two laseracupuncture sessions per week for a period of five weeks. To identify the presence and intensity of fatigue, the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale was applied, with 23 items and divided into three dimensions, at the beginning and end of treatment, and pulmonary function tests were performed by spirometry to describe the ventilatory pattern of the volunteers, in all sessions. Results: Participants were 23 volunteers with a median age of 24 years (IQR, 22-32) and predominantly female (N = 15 [65%]) and Caucasian (N = 13 [56.4%]). Most volunteers were overweight or obese (N = 16 [79.6%]). After the acute phase of COVID-19, the most reported symptoms were anxiety (65%), hair loss (35%) and headache (30%). All participants experienced severe post-COVID fatigue (6.36 [IQR = 6.00 ­ 7.73]). The results of the study showed that treatment with laser acupuncture resulted in a significant reduction in scores on the fatigue scale for the Behavioral Dimension (Mean difference [MD] = -1.65; CI 95%; 0.56-2.75; p < 0.001) Affective dimension (DM = -2.43; CI 95%; 1.33-3.52; p < 0.001) and Sensory dimension (DM = -2.85; CI 95%; 2.08-3, 63; p <0.001), in addition to the fatigue grand total (-2.44; 95% CI; 1.63-3.24; p < 0.001), but had no effect on measures of lung function such as Forced Vital Capacity (MD = -0.87; 95% CI; -4.24, 5.98); p = 0.727), basic maneuver evaluated in spirometry and ratio between Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1) and Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC (DM = -1.00; CI 95%; -10.38 -8.39; p = 0.828). No side effects were reported during treatment. Conclusion: The laseracupuncture protocol was safe and well tolerated by patients, with no reported side effects during treatment, suggesting that laseracupuncture may be a safe option for treating post-COVID-19 fatigue. Although the intervention had no effect on the breathing patterns of the volunteers, they reported improvement in chest expansion and pain, increased breath and disposition. New controlled studies are suggested to better understand the management of post-acute symptoms of COVID-19.