Chinese Society of Allergy Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a global health problem that causes major illnesses and disabilities worldwide. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that the prevalence of AR has increased progressively over the last few decades in more developed countries and currently affects up to 40% of the population worldwide. Likewise, a rising trend of AR has also been observed over the last 2–3 decades in developing countries including China, with the prevalence of AR varying widely in these countries. A survey of self-reported AR over a 6-year period in the general Chinese adult population reported that the standardized prevalence of adult AR increased from 11.1% in 2005 to 17.6% in 2011. An increasing number of original articles and imporclinical trials on the epidemiology, pathophysiologic mechanisms, diagnosis, management and comorbidities of AR in Chinese subjects have been published in international peer-reviewed journals over the past 2 decades, and substantially added to our understanding of this disease as a global problem. Although guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of AR in Chinese subjects have also been published, they have not been translated into English and therefore not generally accessible for reference to non-Chinese speaking international medical communities. Moreover, methods for the diagnosis and treatment of AR in China have not been standardized entirely and some patients are still treated according to regional preferences. Thus, the present guidelines have been developed by the Chinese Society of Allergy to be accessible to both national and international medical communities involved in the management of AR patients. These guidelines have been prepared in line with existing international guidelines to provide evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of AR in China.

Acupuncture combined with oral western medication for Meniere's disease: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the effect difference between acupuncture combined with western medication and simple western medication for Meniere's disease.@*METHODS@#Ninety-six patients with Meniere's disease were randomly assigned into a combination group (48 cases, 12 cases dropping) and a medication group (48 cases, 9 cases dropping). Betastatin mesylate tablets (once 12 mg, 3 times a day) and mecobalamin tablets (once 0.5 mg, 3 times a day) were prescribed orally in the two groups. Acupuncture was used in the combination group, twice a week, 20 min a time, and the acupoints were Baihui (GV 20), Fengchi (GB 20), Tinggong (SI 19), Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 11), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40), Taichong (LR 3), Taixi (KI 3) and Tianshu (ST 25). All the treatment was given for continuous 12 weeks. The symptoms were observed by dizziness handicap inventory (DHI), tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), pure tone audiometry score and stuffy ear visual analogue scale (VAS). The effects were compared in the aspects of dizziness, hearing and activity.@*RESULTS@#The scores of DHI, THI, pure tone audiometry and VAS scores after treatment were lower than those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.05), with lower scores of the above 4 indexes in the combination group after treatment (all <0.05). The difference values before and after treatment of the 4 indexes in the combination group were higher than those in the medication group (all <0.05). The effective rates of dizziness, hearing and activity in the combination group were 97.2% (35/36), 91.7% (33/36), 88.9% (32/36), which were better than 71.8% (28/39), 74.4% (29/39) and 69.2% (27/39) in the medication group (all <0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture combined with conventional medication achieve better effect than simple conventional medication.

Clinical efficacy of catgut embedding combined with thunder-fire moxibustion in treatment of melasma / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of treating melasma by catgut embedding combined with thunder-fire moxibustion and acupuncture.Methods Between September 2011 to December 2012,82 cases of melasma patients in Acupuncture Department of Tongren Hospital were randomly recruited into test group (42 cases) and control group (40 cases).Test group was treated by catgut embedding combined with thunder-fire moxibustion and other 40 cases of control group were treated by common acupuncture.Then therapy effects were observed 8 weeks after treatments.Results In test group,general efficient rate of 42 cases was 97.6％,cure rate was 23.8％;in control group,general efficient rate of 40 cases was 72.5％,and cure rate was 15％.By statistical analysis,the effect of the test group was obviously higher than that of the control group (P＜0.05).Conclusions The treatment of melasma by catgut embedding combined with thunder fire moxibustion achieves more effective outcomes than common acupuncture.

Acupuncture at the sphenopalatine ganglion for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe allergic rhinitis / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To assess the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at the sphenopalatine ganglion for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis.Methods 42 cases of moderate to severe allergic rhinitis patients in Otorhinolaryngology clinic of Tongren Hospital between August 2012 to November 2013 were randomized into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group was treated by acupuncturing sphenopalatine ganglion, once per week, altogether 4 times. The control group was treated by acupuncturingFengchi(GB20),Baihui(GV20),Yingxiang(GV29),Shangxing(GV23),Taiyang(EX-HN5), Quchi(LI11) andZusanli (ST36) was used in the control group, 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The changes of the Total Nasal Symptoms Score (TNSS) and the Total Non-Nasal Symptom Score (TNNSS) were evaluated before and after treatment. The Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) was used to evaluate the quality of life.Results One week after treatment, the scores of TNSS, TNNSS and RQLQ in both groups were significantly improved than before the treatment (treatment group: 5.0[4.0, 6.0]vs. 9.0[7.0, 10.0], 1.0[1.0, 1.5]vs. 3.0[3.0, 3.0], 44.0[35.5, 50.0]vs. 60.0[53.5,75.0]; control group: 6.0[5.5, 8.0]vs. 10.0[8.5, 10.1], 2.0[2.0, 3.0]vs. 3.00[3.0, 3.0], 50.0[45.5, 58.0]vs.43.0[27.0, 48.0]; allP<0.01); the scores of TNSS, TNNSS and RQLQ 1 week after treatment in the treatment group were significantly improved than those in the control group. The scores of TNSS(2.0[1.0, 3.0]vs. 3.0[2.0, 4.5]), TNNSS(1.0[0.0, 1.0]vs.2.0[2.0, 3.0]) and RQLQ(24.0[19.0, 29.0]vs. 43.0[27.0, 48.5])4 week after treatment in the treatment group were significantly improved than those in the control group(allP<0.01).Conclusions Acupuncture at the sphenopalatine ganglion could relieve the symptoms and improve the quality of life in patients with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis, and show more rapid and persistent therapeutic effect. It may be superior to the common acupuncture.

The evaluation on the treatment of benign primary blepharospasm by acupuncture of“streng thening spleen andd”ismtetrhi obd uCt ihneng / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To observe and compare the clinical effect of treating benign primary blepharospasm(BPB)with acupuncture and injection of type A botulinum toxin. Methods Between January 2012 to July 2013, 80 cases of BPB patients in ophthalmology of Tongren hospital were randomly recruited into a acupuncture group and a control group, with 40 cases in either group. The acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture on points of strengthening spleen and distributing liver and the control group was treated by type A botulinum toxin injection around effected eyes. Then effective rate, visual impairment of quality of life scale and self-rating depressive scale were tested after the treatments. Results The total effective rate of acupuncture was 95%, which was better than injection with type A botulinum toxin, with statistical difference(P0.05). Visual impairment score was (121.88±30.16) and (121.00±28.72) in the acupuncture group and control group respectively before the treatment, However, acupuncture group(70.00±22.88)reduced less than control group(95.25±28.39)after the treatment, and there was statistical difference(P0.05), (acupuncture group was(15.90±7.99) and control group was(15.75±6.26). However, acupuncture group(10.40±4.95)reduced less than control group(13.38±6.32)after the treatment, and there was statistical difference(P<0.01). Conclusion It proved that the therapy of acupuncture with strengthening spleen and distributing liver method for benign primary blepharospasm has a better result than injection with type A Botulinum toxin. Moreover, acupuncture can promote optical function and prevent depression for BPB patients.

"Clinical study on the acupuncture of ""zhibi 3"" in the treatment of non-allergic rhinitis" / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To observe the Clinical study on the acupuncture ot zhibi 3 in the treatment of non-allergic rhinitis.Methods 20 individuals over 15 years old with non-allgergic rhinitis were prospectively recruited from rhinology clinic and ward of Beijing TongRen Hospital from December 2008 to August 2009.Acupuncture points of treat nasal 3 and the compatibility of Fengchi,Hegu were performed by once a week for 7 weeks.The changes of the total nasal symptom score (TNSS) and the Mini-Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (Mini-RQLQ) were observed at baseline and recertification every week.Results After 7 weeks treatment,we found the fourth week of score in fatigue (0.5±0.2; 2.6±1.2,respectively),embarrassed (1.0±0.3; 3.7-0.3,respectively),sleep (0.8±0.1; 4.1±0.9,respectively)、the quality of life (1.0±0.4; 3.8±0.7,respectively),congestion (0.6±0.4; 2.6± 1.0,respectively),rhinorrhea (1.2±0.5; 4.4±0.7,respectively),sneezing (1.6±0.5; 5.0±0.6,respectively),nasal itching (1.7±0.6; 4.4±0.9,respectively) were significantly improved over 75％ (15/20) compared with the baseline (P＜0.05).However,at the sixth week,congestion,rhinorrhea,sneezing were recurring,especially rhinorrhea,but the benefit effects of acupuncture were more than 55％ comparing with baseline.Contusion Acupuncture of zhibi 3,and Fengchi,Hegu may have the effective effects on non-allergic rhinitis.