Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40327434›Full record

ArticleMedicine2025

Traditional Chinese medicine for post-COVID: A retrospective cohort study.

Jana Kraft, Anne Hardy, Verena Baustädter, Martina Bögel-Witt, Katharina Krassnig, Birgit Ziegler, Paula J Waibl, Karin Meissner

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jana KraftPrograms in Health Promotion, Department of Applied Natural Sciences and Health, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg, Germany.
Anne HardyAssociation for Classical Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (AGTCM), Dortmund, Germany.
Verena BaustädterVienna School of Traditional Chinese Medicine (WSTCM), Vienna, Austria.
Martina Bögel-WittAssociation for Classical Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (AGTCM), Dortmund, Germany.
Katharina KrassnigVienna School of Traditional Chinese Medicine (WSTCM), Vienna, Austria.
Birgit ZieglerAssociation for Classical Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (AGTCM), Dortmund, Germany.
Paula J WaiblPrograms in Health Promotion, Department of Applied Natural Sciences and Health, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg, Germany.
Karin MeissnerPrograms in Health Promotion, Department of Applied Natural Sciences and Health, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8308-6537

Funding

Association for Classical Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (AGTCM), Vienna School of Traditional Chinese Medicine (WSTCM)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Post-COVID syndrome affects at least 10% of individuals recovering from COVID-19. Currently, there is no causal treatment. This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the potential of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating post-COVID symptoms. TCM physicians in Germany and Austria completed online questionnaires to retrospectively record symptoms, treatment approaches, and outcomes for patients diagnosed with post-COVID. Nine physicians collected data from 79 patients (65% female, 47 ± 16 SD). The most common TCM treatments for post-COVID were acupuncture (n = 66; 85%), Chinese pharmacological therapy (n = 61; 77%), and Chinese dietary counseling (n = 32; 41%). After an average of 7 ± 4 TCM consultations, physicians rated global symptom improvement as 62% ± 29%. Significant alleviation from the start of TCM treatment was observed in major symptoms, such as fatigue (P < .001), impaired physical performance (P < .001), and exertional dyspnea (P < .001). TCM treatment was associated with significant improvements in post-COVID symptoms, warranting further evaluation through randomized controlled studies.

Indexed as

COVID-19Medicine, Chinese TraditionalAcupuncture TherapyAdultAgedAustriaFemaleGermanyHumansMaleMiddle AgedPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2Surveys and QuestionnairesTreatment Outcomeacupuncturechinese drugscomplementary therapiescoronavirus disease-19fatiguelong COVID

Identifiers

PMID40327434
PMCPMC12055149

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.