Benefit of electroacupuncture for pulmonary infections in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: a retrospective study.

Objective: Patients with schizophrenia (SP) and bipolar disorder (BD) who are on prolonged medication are particularly vulnerable to pulmonary infections. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) in treating pulmonary infections.

Methods: For this retrospective study, data of 170 SP/BD patients with pulmonary infections were collected: a control group (85 patients) and an EA group (85 patients). The control group received standard psychiatric care and supportive treatment, while the EA group also underwent electroacupuncture. After two weeks, various factors including blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂), inflammatory cytokine levels, manic symptoms, and cognitive function were compared between the two groups.

Results: Beneficial effects of electroacupuncture on SpO₂ and white blood cell counts were observed after two weeks of intervention. Additionally, electroacupuncture was more effective in reducing inflammatory cytokine levels. Patients receiving electroacupuncture also had lower symptom scores for expectoration, panting, coughing, and sputum compared to the control group (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis confirmed the important role of electroacupuncture in promoting patient recovery. However, the improvements in manic symptoms and cognitive function with electroacupuncture were not significant compared to the control group (P>0.05).

Conclusions: Electroacupuncture can have a beneficial impact on the recovery of SP/BD patients with pulmonary infections.