Can AP outcomes be improved by adding herbal formulas?

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

 

Below, see abstract [Effect of adding a Chinese herbal preparation

to acupuncture for seasonal allergic rhinitis: randomised

doubleblind controlled trial. Hong Kong Med J 2003;9:427-434].

 

Acupuncture + placebo capsules effectively improved seasonal

allergic rhinitis in 81% of patients. Addition of capsules of a herbal

formula to the AP treatment gave improvement in 73% of patients

(not significantly better than acupuncture + placebo).

 

The research team is examining the very sensitive issue of whether

or not addition of herbal formulae significantly improves the clinical

outcome of acupuncture Tx in many diseases.

 

I have emailed Dr CCL Xue (the main author) to invite the research

team to join the lists. IMO, their inputs would be very valuable to

our discussions on TCM.

 

Best regards,

Phil

 

PS: I know that many will raise eyebrows at the need for 16

sessions of AP [sessions twice/week for 8 weeks] in rhinitis!

However, this is a clinical research paper and we can discuss more

realistic Tx protocols with the authors if they join the discussion

Lists.

 

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Effect of adding a Chinese herbal preparation to acupuncture for

seasonal allergic rhinitis: randomised doubleblind controlled trial.

Hong Kong Med J 2003;9:427-434. CCL Xue, FCK Thien, JJS

Zhang, W Yang, C Da Costa, CG Li; RMIT University, Bundoora

West Campus, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia: RMIT Chinese

Medicine Research Group (CCL Xue, PhD, CG Li, PhD); Chinese

Medicine Unit (JJS Zhang, PhD); Department of Mathematics and

Statistics (C Da Costa, PhD); Department of Allergy, Asthma and

Clinical Immunology, Monash University, Alfred Hospital,

Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia (FCK Thien, MD); School of

Engineering and Science, Swinburne University of Technology,

Howthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia (W Yang, MEng);

Correspondence to: Dr CCL Xue (e-mail: charlie.xue).

Objective. To assess whether the addition of a Chinese herbal

medicine formula to acupuncture affects the severity of symptoms

and quality-of-life scores among patients with seasonal allergic

rhinitis. Design. Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Setting. University teaching and research clinic, Australia.

Participants. 65 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis, who were

recruited through public media. Intervention. Between July and

December 1999, patients received acupuncture twice a week for 8

weeks plus either a Chinese herbal drug formula (n=33) or placebo

(n=32) at a dosage of four capsules, three times daily.

[Acupuncture: All patients: yintang (Z_03), LI20, and GB20. Other

points for different syndromes were BL13 + LU09 for lung qi

deficiency; BL20 + ST36 for spleen qi deficiency; BL23 + CV06 for

kidney qi deficiency syndrome. Herbal formula (% of each

ingredient): Danggui 3.81, Xixin 2.25, Huangqi 13.87, Baizhu 7.11,

Chaihu 3.81, Shengma 4.68, Dangshen 14.21, Gancao 9.36,

Chuanxiong 4.68, Xinyi 4.68, Bohe 3.81, Chenpi 2.25, Cheqianzi

4.68, Wuweizi 4.51, Jingjie 4.68, Fangfeng 4.68, Hezi 4.68,

Cangerzi 2.25]. Main outcome measures. The severity of nasal and

non-nasal symptoms on a five-point scale, as assessed by both

patients and an ear, nose, and throat specialist, and quality-of-life

scores as measured by the Rhinoconjunctivitis and Rhinitis Quality

of Life Questionnaire. Results. 61 patients completed the study (31

in the intervention group and 30 in the control group). After 8

weeks, no significant difference was found between the two groups

in the severity of nasal and non-nasal symptoms and in the

Rhinoconjunctivitis and Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire

scores. Intention-to-treat analysis of categorical variables showed

moderate-to-marked improvement rates of 72.7% and 81.2% for

intervention and control groups, respectively. 6 patients reported

mild adverse events—3 from each of the study groups. Conclusion.

The Chinese herbal formulation under investigation did not provide

additional symptomatic relief or improvement in quality-of-life

scores among patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis who were

receiving acupuncture.

 

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Best regards,

 

Email: <

 

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