In 2007, Maa, S. H., et. al., conducted study which delves realm of comprehensive patient care, nursing has increasingly incorporated complementary-alternative medicine to alleviate discomfort, manage pain, and address symptoms. Acupressure, a modality gaining traction among medical and nursing professionals, is being explored for its potential benefits in various health conditions. While prior research has hinted at the positive effects of acupressure on respiratory diseases, its efficacy specifically for bronchiectasis patients has remained uncertain.

This randomized, partially blinded pilot study involved thirty-five out-patients of varying genders, with an average age of 59.46 years, diagnosed with bronchiectasis. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: standard care supplemented with acupressure (11 participants), standard care supplemented with sham acupressure (11 participants), and standard care alone (13 participants). The study measured outcomes such as changes in daily sputum production, sputum self-assessment, six-minute walking distance, dyspnea levels (measured via visual analogue scale), and health-related quality of life (measured using the Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire).

The study observed improvements in sputum self-assessment scores over time among participants receiving sham acupressure compared to controls (P = 0.03). Additionally, participants utilizing acupressure showed improvements in the activity component scores of the Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire over time compared to controls (P = 0.01), even after adjusting for covariates such as treatment, time, age, sex, and baseline values. However, other variables did not exhibit significant differences between the standard care alone group and the other two groups.

The findings suggest that eight weeks of self-administered acupressure may effectively mitigate the impact of bronchiectasis on daily activities. This highlights the potential of acupressure as a valuable nursing intervention in managing bronchiectasis-related symptoms and improving overall quality of life for patients.

Reference: Maa, S. H., Tsou, T. S., Wang, K. Y., Wang, C. H., Lin, H. C., & Huang, Y. H. (2007). Self‐administered acupressure reduces the symptoms that limit daily activities in bronchiectasis patients: pilot study findings. Journal of clinical nursing, 16(4), 794-804.