[Protective effect of acupuncture on allergen provoked rhinitis]

A study of the protective effect of an acupuncture therapy against a nasal allergen-provoked rhinitis was undertaken on patients suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis. The effects of a specific acupuncture therapy ("verum") were compared with those of a non-specific acupuncture therapy ("placebo"). The allergen-provocation was carried out in the "Vienna Provocation Chamber" (VCC) (Horak, 1987). 24 patients suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis were allocated at random either to Group B and given a specific ("verum") acupuncture therapy or to Group A and given a non-specific ("placebo") acupuncture therapy. A nasal allergen-provocation was carried out before onset and after completion of 9 treatments. The objective and subjective results of the allergen-provocation in the VCC were not able to verify a protective effect of the acupuncture therapy. The "Diary of Complaints (Symptoms)" which the participants had to keep over the 2 months following the treatment showed a definite reduction of the subjective complaints in the verum group during the second month. The range of scatter was too great for a statistically significant result.