Short-term acupuncture therapy is of no benefit in patients with moderate persistent asthma

Acupuncture traditionally has been used to treat asthma. Nevertheless, only a few controlled studies have been performed to determine the efficacy of this treatment. Our study aimed to determine the efficacy of acupuncture in patients with moderate persistent asthma.

Twenty-three patients with moderate persistent asthma who had been treated only with inhaled beta(2)-agonists were randomly assigned to receive four sessions of real acupuncture (RA) or sham acupuncture (SA) in a blinded manner. After a washout period of 3 weeks, the patients were crossed over. Monitoring included FEV(1), methacholine challenge, daily peak flow (PF) variability, and the keeping of an asthma diary.

Twenty of 23 patients completed the study. There was no significant change in FEV(1) following treatment. The mean (+/- SE) FEV(1) values before and after the RA were 73 +/- 4% and 73 +/- 3%, respectively (not significant [NS]). FEV(1) values before and after SA were 70 +/- 3% and 70 +/- 3%, respectively (NS). There was also no change in provocative methacholine concentration causing a 20% fall in FEV(1) (PC(20)) before and after treatment. The mean PC(20) values before and after RA were 0.92 +/- 0.42 mg/mL and 1.16 +/- 0.51 mg/mL, respectively (p = 0.71), while the PC(20) values before and after SA were 1.47 +/- 0.83 mg/mL and 1.11 +/- 0.79 mg/mL, respectively (p = 0.59). There was no change in the mean PF variability before and after the RA (1.6 +/- 3.1% and 1.8 +/- 2.3%, respectively [NS]). The PF variability before and after SA were 3.6 +/- 2.8% and 2.8 +/- 3.4%, respectively (NS). No significant difference was demonstrated for symptom scores or for the use of beta(2)-agonist inhalers (RA, 6.7 +/- 3.4; SA, 8.1 +/- 3.6; p = 0.58).

In patients with moderate persistent asthma, a short course of acupuncture treatment resulted in no change in lung functions, bronchial hyperreactivity, or patient symptoms.