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TCM combined with Western therapy improves BMD and FEV1 in patients with COPD and osteoporosisTraditional Chinese Medicine may help lung and bone health

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Key Takeaway
Consider TCM as a potential adjunct to Western therapy to improve BMD and FEV1 in patients with COPD and osteoporosis.

This meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) combined with Conventional Western medical therapy (CWMT) compared to CWMT alone in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and osteoporosis (OP). The study included a total of 944 patients to assess primary outcomes of bone mineral density (BMD) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1).

The analysis reported a significant improvement in BMD with an SMD of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.34-1.07, P < 0.001) and an improvement in FEV1 with an SMD of 0.54 (95% CI: 0.17-0.90, P = 0.007). Additionally, a network meta-analysis ranked the TLKRBS approach first for both BMD (SUCRA = 98.82%) and FEV1 (SUCRA = 99.99%).

The authors noted several limitations, including small sample sizes, high heterogeneity, and risks of bias. While the results suggest that the combination of CWMT and TCM may yield more favorable outcomes for treating COPD with OP, the evidence is limited by the quality of the included studies. Clinical application should be approached with caution due to these limitations.

How this fits prior evidence

This finding addresses a gap in managing the dual burden of COPD and osteoporosis. While prior evidence indicates that probiotic supplementation may improve pulmonary function in COPD, this meta-analysis specifically explores the addition of TCM to Western therapy to improve both lung function and bone mineral density in patients with comorbid osteoporosis.

Living with both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and osteoporosis can be a heavy burden on the body. Managing these conditions often requires a balance between keeping the lungs clear and maintaining bone strength. New data suggests that combining standard Western medical treatments with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) might offer better results than Western medicine alone.

Researchers looked at data from 944 patients to see how these treatments affected lung function and bone mineral density. The results showed that patients who received both Western and Chinese medicine saw improvements in their lung capacity and bone density. Specifically, the study found that certain TCM approaches ranked highest for improving both areas.

While the results are promising, the evidence is not yet perfect. The study faced challenges like small sample sizes and high variation in how different treatments were applied. Because of these factors, the findings are currently considered limited. If you are managing these conditions, talk to your doctor about how these combined therapies might fit into your specific care plan.

What this means for you:
Combining Traditional Chinese Medicine with standard care may improve lung function and bone density in some patients.

Common questions

Can Traditional Chinese Medicine help with lung function?

Yes, the study found that patients who combined Traditional Chinese Medicine with standard Western medical therapy showed an improvement in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). This is a common measure of how much air a person can exhale in one second, which helps doctors track lung function.

Does this treatment help with bone density?

The data showed that adding Traditional Chinese Medicine to standard Western treatment led to an improvement in bone mineral density (BMD). In some specific rankings, certain Traditional Chinese Medicine approaches were ranked first for improving bone density in patients with both COPD and osteoporosis.

Is this treatment safe for patients with COPD?

The study noted that the treatment had short-term tolerability. However, because the researchers did not adequately report adverse events or serious side effects, you should speak with your healthcare provider to determine the safest options for your specific health needs.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis
Sample sizen = 944
EvidenceLevel 1
PublishedJan 2026
View Original Abstract ↓
This comprehensive meta-analysis on the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as an adjunctive therapy to conventional treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with osteoporosis (OP) aimed to provide evidence and guidance for clinical practice. We systematically searched four international databases and four Chinese databases to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to November 2025. Meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed in R using the meta and gemtc packages. The revised Cochrane risk of bias tool (ROB2) was employed to assess the quality of included studies to ensure their rigor and clinical applicability. A total of 11 eligible studies involving 944 patients were identified. The results indicated that compared with conventional Western medical therapy (CWMT) alone, CWMT plus TCM demonstrated a certain degree of improvement in the primary outcomes, namely bone mineral density (BMD) (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.34-1.07, I = 83.8%, P < 0.001) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) (SMD = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.17-0.90, I = 76.5%, P = 0.007). Statistically significant improvements were observed in some secondary outcomes. The original studies did not adequately report adverse events. The available data only suggested short-term tolerability. According to network meta-analysis results, among the three treatment approaches, the TLKRBS (tonifying the lung and kidney and resolving blood stasis) approach had the highest probability of being ranked first for increasing BMD (surface under the cumulative ranking curve [SUCRA] = 98.82%) and FEV1 (SUCRA = 99.99%), indicating a substantial effect on improvement. The combination of CWMT and TCM may yield more favorable outcomes compared to CWMT alone for treating COPD with OP. The meta-analysis results indicate that the therapeutic efficacy of TCM combined with CWMT may be improved to a certain extent compared with CWMT alone. However, the certainty of the evidence is limited due to small sample sizes, high heterogeneity, and risks of bias. Future high-quality RCTs with rigorous designs, larger sample sizes, and standardized outcome measures are warranted to strengthen the evidence base for the application of TCM in patients with COPD and comorbid OP and to further confirm its efficacy.
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