Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2006; 11: 06–7
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in addition to routine care in patients with allergic asthma compared to treatment with routine care alone.
In a randomised controlled study with an additional cohort, patients ≥ 18 years with allergic asthma were randomly allocated to a group receiving up to 15 acupuncture sessions over 3 months (ACU) or to a control group (CON) receiving no acupuncture. Patients not consenting to randomisation received acupuncture treatment (NR-ACU). In addition, all patients were allowed to receive usual medical care. Asthma specific quality of life (AQLQ) and health-related general quality of life (SF-36) were assessed at baseline and after 3 months.
A total of 1445 patients (43.8 ± 13.5 years, 59% female; ACU: 184, CON: 173, NR-ACU: 1088) were included in the study. At 3 months, the improvement of AQLQ was more pronounced in the ACU than in the CON (AQLQ: from 4.3 ± 1.1 to 5.2 ± 1.1; and from 4.5 ± 0.9 to 4.6 ± 1.2, P < 0.001). Similarly, the SF-36 improved more in the ACU compared to the CON (mental component scale: from 43.6 ± 11.0 to 48.0 ± 9.7; and from 45.3 ± 10.7 to 45.2 ± 10.8, P = 0.015; physical component scale 45.8 ± 9.6 to 49.1 ± 8.7; and from 46.4 ± 8.5 to 46.4 ± 9.1, P < 0.001). After receiving acupuncture the NR-ACU showed similar results when compared to the ACU.
Treatment with acupuncture in addition to routine care in patients with allergic asthma was associated with a significant improvement of disease specific and general quality of life compared to treatment with routine care alone.
