Acupuncture for Allergy: Decreases IGE and other Markers

I spoke with this researcher and was very gratified by his results, since acupuncture fixed my allergies!

ACUPUNCTURE DOWNREGULATES HOUSE DUST

MITE SPECIFIC IGE AND SUBSTANCE P AND

IMPROVES SYMPTOMS AND QUALITY OF LIFE

IN ADULTS WITH PERSISTENT ALLERGIC RHINITIS

John L McDonald, Menzies Health Institute, Griffith University,

Queensland, Australia; Peter K Smith, Menzies Health Institute,

Griffith University, Queensland, Australia; Caroline A Smith,

National Institute of Complementary Medicine, University of

Western Sydney; Charlie CL Xue, Health Innovations Research

Institute and School of Health Sciences, RMIT University;

A13

Brenda Golianu, Stanford University; Allan W Cripps, Menzies

Health Institute, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia

Background:

A growing body of clinical evidence suggests

that acupuncture improves symptoms in persistent allergic rhi-

nitis, but the physiological basis of these improvements is not

well understood.

Purpose:

A randomized sham-controlled trial of acupuncture

for persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR) in adults was undertaken,

to investigate possible modulation of mucosal immune re-

sponses and changes in symptoms and quality of life.

Methods:

151 subjects were randomized

into three groups: real

acupuncture, sham acupuncture and no acupuncture. Both acu-

puncture groups received twice we

ekly treatments for eight weeks.

The primary outcome measures were changes in cytokines, neu-

rotrophins, pro-inflammatory neuropeptides, immunoglobulins and

other inflammatory biomarkers in saliva or peripheral venous

blood plasma from baseline to f

our weeks after treatment. Sec-

ondary outcomes were measures of nasal airway resistance,

symptoms and quality of life scores throughout this period.

Results:

Statistically significant reduction in allergen-spe-

cific immunoglobulin E (IgE) for house dust mite was seen only

in the real acupuncture group, from 18.87

–

9.91 to 17.82

–

8.01

kU/L (p

=

0.035). Statistically significant down-regulation was

also seen in pro-inflammatory neuropeptide Substance P (SP)

18 to 24 hours after the first treatment from 408.74

–

299.12 to

90.77

–

22.54 pg/ml (p

=

0.039). No significant changes were

seen in the other neuropeptides, neurotrophins or cytokines.

Symptoms and quality of life (Qol) scores improved signifi-

cantly with ongoing improvement at four weeks follow-up.

These symptomatic and Qol changes appeared to be associated

with reduction of house dust mite specific IgE, but not with

decreases in SP.

Conclusion:

Acupuncture appears to be effective for adults

with PAR through down-regulating house dust mite-specific

IgE. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding.