Efficacy of a Persian-Based Method of Needling on Clinical Symptoms of Patients with COVID-19: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

COVID-19 is a pandemic viral infection that has become a challenge for health systems worldwide having no definite antiviral treatment yet. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a Persian-based method of needling (Ghamz with needle) on the clinical symptoms of COVID-19 patients as a pilot study. We conducted a single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial involving hospitalized adult patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) by rRT-PCR method using a nasal swab. Nineteen patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to receive Ghamz with needle in the intervention group and sham treatment group. The procedure was performed in six points (three bilateral), based on traditional Persian medicine (TPM) texts, compatible with LU5, LU7, and SP6 Chinese points with a duration of 20 minutes, every day, till the patients were discharged from the hospital. The clinical symptoms, laboratory data, and radiological findings were evaluated before and after the interventions in both groups. The results revealed that after comparing the values of the change in the study parameters, despite the significant improvement in the dyspnea (p=0.037) and O2 saturation (p=0.044) of the Ghamz group, no statistically significant difference was observed between Ghamz and sham groups using a visual analog scale (dyspnea: MD: -3.66, 95% CI: -6.49 to 0.84 vs MD: -2.20, 95% CI: -4.60 to 0.20, p= 0.217; O2 saturation: (MD: 2.61, 95% CI: -1.97 to 14.02 vs MD:4.50, 95% CI: -0.49 to 9.49, p=0.163). The radiological findings showed a better improvement in the intervention group than in the sham treatment group. In conclusion, Ghamz with needle in the mentioned points was not effective significantly in relieve the symptoms of the patients with COVID-19. However, further studies with larger samples are recommended.