Acupuncture for Allergic Rhinitis
Because acupuncture may modulate the immune system, it has
been proposed as a useful treatment for patients with allergic rhinitis (AR).
Here, we assessed the evidence for the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for the
management of AR patients by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis
of the published literatures. By searching PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane
clinical trials database, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure from
1980 through July 11, 2013, we collected and analyzed the randomized controlled
trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for the treatment of AR patients to assess its
efficacy and safety. Thirteen full papers that met our inclusion criteria were
included, and a total of 2365 participants, including 1126 as treatment group
and 1239 as control group, were enrolled. Compared with control group, acupuncture
treatment group exerted a significant reduction in nasal symptom scores
(weighted mean difference [WMD]: -4.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -8.42 to
-0.43, p = 0.03), medication scores (WMD: 1.39, 95% CI: -2.18 to -0.61, p =
.0005), and serum IgE (WMD: -75.00, 95% CI: -91.17 to -58.83, p < 0.00001).
Data relating to Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) and 36-Item
Short-Form (SF-36) component score in included studies were analyzed, which
ultimately point to the efficacy of acupuncture treatment in improving quality
of life in AR patients. No fatal events were reported in any of the included
studies, and no serious systemic reaction, which needed treatment in the
hospital, was related to the acupuncture treatment. Our meta-analysis suggests
that that acupuncture could be a safe and valid treatment option for AR
patients.
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