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Related Experiment Videos

Acupuncture for bronchial asthma? A double-blind crossover study.

M K Tandon1, P F Soh, A T Wood

  • 1Thoracic Division, Repatriation General Hospital, Hollywood, WA.

The Medical Journal of Australia
|March 18, 1991
PubMed
Summary

This study found that classic Chinese acupuncture did not improve asthma symptoms or lung function compared to placebo or no treatment. Real acupuncture offered no significant benefits for patients with stable bronchial asthma.

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Area of Science:

  • Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  • Pulmonology
  • Clinical Therapeutics

Background:

  • Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition requiring effective management strategies.
  • Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese therapy explored for various medical conditions, including asthma.
  • The efficacy of acupuncture for stable bronchial asthma remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the therapeutic effectiveness of classic Chinese acupuncture versus placebo acupuncture in patients with stable bronchial asthma.
  • To evaluate the impact of real and placebo acupuncture on asthma control and pulmonary function.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, subject and evaluator-blind crossover study was conducted.
  • Fifteen patients with stable bronchial asthma received real and placebo acupuncture treatments twice weekly for five weeks.

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  • Each treatment phase was preceded by a three-week non-acupuncture period.

    • Main Results:

    • Five patients reported improvement with real acupuncture, five preferred placebo, and five experienced no improvement with either.
    • Real acupuncture did not significantly improve daily peak flow rates, asthma symptom scores, or beta 2-agonist use.
    • No significant improvements in pulmonary function results were observed with real acupuncture compared to no treatment or placebo.

    Conclusions:

    • Classic Chinese acupuncture demonstrated no therapeutic effectiveness in improving asthma control or pulmonary function in this patient group.
    • Placebo acupuncture was preferred by some patients, suggesting a potential placebo effect.
    • Further rigorous research is needed to ascertain the role of acupuncture in asthma management.