| 1BackgroundThe global incidence of AR (allergic rhinitis) is about10%～25%, it has become a global health problem because of causing severe illness and disability in the world. There are so many clinical treatments that all have been got a preliminary affirmative, eg. drug therapy, immune therapy, acupuncture and moxibustion therapy, etc. Modern medical research shows that the nasal mucosa of AR patients has been remodeled, the nasal mucociliary transport function has been changed. Damage degree of epithelial cells are related to the patient’s condition and total amount of allergen. Saccharin test is the most commonly used method of evaluating nasal mucociliary transport function at present. Studies have shown that oral or nasal administration of drug application in treating AR can not only improve nasal symptoms and signs, also shortened the nasal mucociliary clearance time. So far there are no reports on effects of acupuncture treatment on nasal mucociliary transport function.2ObjectiveBy observing the change of nasal symptoms and signs, disease severity and nasal mucociliary transport function in AR patients before and after acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, searched for the influence on nasal mucociliary transport function, also as a basic research aimed to provide an objective evaluation index for clinical use.3MethodsTotally collected30perennial AR patients in acupuncture and moxibustion department of Guang’anmen Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, from2012July to2012December. The average age were40.27±12.44years old. The inclusion criteria:(1) Meet the standards of AR diagnostic criteria;(2) Age18～70years old;(3) At least1years course;(4) Sign the informed consent, volunteered for this study. This study also had exclusion criteria. The30patients were treated with acupuncture and moxibustion. Before and after treatment evaluated symptoms and signs of rhinitis scores, saccharin time, nasal symptoms VAS scores, rhinitis severity VAS scores. Signs of rhinitis scores and nasal mucociliary transport function examination assessed by the same ENT(ear-nose-throat) physician who did not participate in the treatment.4ResultsAfter treatment the scores of symptoms and signs of rhinitis were lower than before (P<0.01).9cases of30patients (30%of the total number of cases) were markedly effective.15cases of30patients (50%of the total number of cases) were effective. The total efficiency was80%. Patients with pale nasal mucosa of the left nostril reduced from15cases before treatment to9cases after treatment, with pale nasal mucosa of the right nostril reduced from20cases to9cases. The ratio of pale red nasal mucosa was significantly increased after treatment (P<0.01). In the aspect of nasal mucociliary transport function, till the end of the experiment included10cases meeting the requirements, saccharin time reduced from (1367.40±717.997)s before treatment to (562.80±318.464)s after treatment,there existed a significant difference (P<0.01). For the nasal symptoms VAS scores, after treatment VAS scores of each symptom was significantly decreased than before (P<0.01). The degree of improvement of each symptom was above50%. The improvement of tearing, conjunctival congestion, eye itching and itching ear were above70%. The rhinitis severity VAS scores also significantly decreased than before(P<0.01).5ConclusionThe efficiency of this method in treating AR was80%. closing to the curative effect of drugs or immunotherapy.After treatment patients" symptoms and signs of nasal became better significantly. The related symptoms became better, too. The severity of AR decreased obviously.Mucociliary transport time reduced significantly after treatment, and the nasal mucosa cilia transmission function showed a tendency to improve. |
