[Network Meta-analysis of acupuncture and moxibustion for allergic rhinitis]

To review the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on allergic rhinitis based on the network Meta-analysis.

The randomized controlled trials of acupuncture and moxibustion for allergic rhinitis were retrieved from the databases, starting from the date of establishment to August 17, 2020, i.e. the PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP. The traditional Meta-analysis and network Meta-analysis were performed by RevMan5.3 and GeMTC0.14.3.

A total of 50 RCTs were included, including 4260 patients, involving 5 kinds of acupuncture and moxibustion therapies, such as acupuncture, moxibustion, acupoint application, acupoint thread-embedding and auricular point therapy.①In term of total effective rate, acupuncture, moxibustion and acupoint thread-embedding were superior to western medication and auricular point therapy (P<0.05); moxibustion was superior to acupoint application (P<0.05); acupoint thread-embedding was superior to acupoint application (P<0.05). Acupoint thread-embedding was most likely to be the best treatment (P<0.05). ②In term of total effective rate in follow-up, acupuncture, moxibustion, acupoint thread-embedding and auricular point therapy were superior to western medication (P<0.05); acupuncture and moxibustion were superior to acupoint application (P<0.05). Moxibustion was most likely to be the best treatment (P<0.05). ③In term of total score of nasal symptom, moxibustion and acupoint thread-embedding were superior to acupuncture (P<0.05).

The therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on allergic rhinitis is better than western medication, and acupoint thread-embedding has the best curative effect.