Exploring the impact of auricular acupressure and nutritional assistance, enhanced with ferulic acid supplementation, on pediatric cough variant asthma: An observational study

Cough variant asthma (CVA) is a common cause of chronic cough in children and significantly affects their health and quality-of-life. To explore potential complementary treatment strategies, we conducted a retrospective observational study evaluating the clinical outcomes of auricular acupressure combined with nutritional assistance supplemented with ferulic acid in pediatric CVA. Medical records of 236 children diagnosed with CVA and treated at the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gongli Hospital of Shanghai Pudong, between April 2022 and November 2024, were reviewed. Based on treatment received, patients were categorized into a treatment group (auricular acupressure plus ferulic acid supplementation) or a control group (standard care only). Primary outcomes were changes in the Cough Severity Index (CSI), while secondary outcomes included Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) scores and pulmonary function tests. At 3, 6, and 12 months, the treatment group showed significantly greater reductions in CSI scores (P < .05) compared with controls. Improvements in lung function indices (FEV1, FVC) were also more pronounced in the treatment group (P < .01). Additionally, quality-of-life scores increased significantly among patients receiving the integrative therapy. These findings suggest that, in this retrospective cohort, the combination of auricular acupressure with ferulic acid supplementation was associated with enhanced symptom relief, lung function, and quality of life in children with CVA. This integrative approach warrants further prospective and randomized investigations to validate its clinical value.