Background: Patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) increasingly use complementary medicine. The aim of this study was to determine whether traditional Chinese therapy is efficacious in patients suffering from seasonal AR.
MethodFifty-two patients between the ages of 20 and 58 who had typical symptoms of seasonal AR were assigned randomly and in a blinded fashion to (i) an active treatment group which received a semi-standardized treatment of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and (ii) a control group which received acupuncture applied to non-acupuncture points in addition to a non-specific Chinese herbal formula. All patients received acupuncture treatment once per week and the respective Chinese herbal formula as a decoction three times daily for a total of 6 weeks. Assessments were performed before, during, and 1 week after treatment. The change in severity of hay fever symptoms was the primary outcome measured on a visual analogue scale (VAS).
Results: Compared with patients in the control group, patients in the active treatment group showed a significant after-treatment improvement on the VAS (P = 0.006) and Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (P = 0.015). Improvement on the Global Assessment of Change Scale was noted in 85% of active treatment group participants vs 40% in the control group (P = 0.048). No differences between the two groups could be detected with the Allergic Rhinitis Symptom Questionnaire. Both treatments were well-tolerated.
Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that traditional Chinese therapy may be an efficacious and safe treatment option for patients with seasonal AR.

Objective. To compare active acupuncture with sham acupuncture for the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis among children.
Methods. Subjects with persistent allergic rhinitis were recruited from the pediatric outpatient clinic. They were randomized to receive either active acupuncture or sham acupuncture. Main outcome measures included daily rhinitis scores, symptom-free days, visual analog scale scores for immediate effects of acupuncture, daily relief medication scores, blood eosinophil counts, serum IgE levels, nasal eosinophil counts, patients' and parents' preferences for treatment modalities, and adverse effects.
Results. Eighty-five patients were recruited from the pediatric outpatient clinic at Kwong Wah Hospital, in Hong Kong. Thirteen patients withdrew before randomization; 35 patients (mean age: 11.7 ± 3.2 years) were randomized to receive active acupuncture for 8 weeks, and 37 patients (mean age: 11 ± 3.8 years) were randomized to receive sham acupuncture for 8 weeks. Acupuncture was performed twice per week for both groups. Both the assessing pediatricians and the patients were blinded. There were significantly lower daily rhinitis scores and more symptom-free days for the group receiving active acupuncture, during both the treatment and follow-up periods. The visual analog scale scores for immediate improvement after acupuncture were also significantly better for the active acupuncture group. There was no significant difference in the following outcome measures between the active and sham acupuncture groups: daily relief medication scores, blood eosinophil counts, serum IgE levels, and nasal eosinophil counts, except for the IgE levels before and 2 months after acupuncture in the sham acupuncture group. No severe adverse effects were encountered. Numbness, headache, and dizziness were found in both the active and sham acupuncture groups, with no difference in incidence, and the effects were self-limiting.
Conclusions. This study showed that active acupuncture was more effective than sham acupuncture in decreasing the symptom scores for persistent allergic rhinitis and increasing the symptom-free days. No serious adverse effect was identified. A large-scale study is required to confirm the safety of acupuncture for children.

CONTEXT: Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is widely used to treat seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), however, evidence of efficacy is lacking.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a Chinese herbal formulation for the treatment of SAR.
DESIGN: Randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial.
SETTING: RMIT Chinese Medicine Clinic.
PATIENTS: 55 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (active 28, placebo 27).
INTERVENTIONS: CHM extract capsule (containing 18 herbs) or placebo, given daily for 8 weeks.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary measure of efficacy were changes in severity of nasal and non-nasal symptoms using a Five Point Scale (FPS) measured by both patients and the practitioner. The secondary measure was the change in score for the domains measured in the Rhinoconjunctivitis and Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) assessed by patients. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients completed the study (active 24, placebo 25). After eight weeks, the severity of nasal symptoms and non-nasal symptoms were significantly less in the active treatment group than in the control group, both for measurements made by patients and those by the practitioner. Comparison of active and placebo treatment groups RQLQ scores also indicated significant beneficial effects of treatment (end point Section 1: P < 0.05; Section 2: P < 0.01). Intention-to-treat analyses of categorical items showed moderate to marked improvement rates were 60.7% and 29.6% for active and placebo respectively. Eleven patients reported mild adverse events including 1 withdrawn from the trial.
CONCLUSIONS: This CHM formulation appears to offer symptomatic relief and improvement of quality of life for some patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.