Department of Ophthalmology & Otolaryngology & Dermatology, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Trials. 2012 Apr 16;13:37. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-13-37.
Non-allergic rhinopathy (NAR), formerly known as vasomotor rhinitis, is a non-allergic and non-infectious chronic disease that is accompanied by nasal hyperemia, rhinorrhea, and no increase in the number of eosinophils. Although the medications for NAR, including intranasal corticosteroids and intranasal antihistamine, have been used in clinical practice, given the relative paucity of effective therapy with available medications, alternative non-pharmacologic treatments could play an important role in treating NAR. Acupuncture treatment is representative potential alternative therapy for the treatment of various diseases, including rhinitis. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pricking blood at Neiyingxiang (ExHN 9) relative to acupuncture treatment at Waiyingxiang (LI 20) in patients with NAR.
METHODS/DESIGN: A randomized, parallel-group, controlled, assessor single-blinded, trial will be conducted. Fifty participants with NAR will be randomized into one of two groups: either the control group with acpuncture treatment at LI 20 or the experimental group with pricking blood at ExHN 9. After randomization, a total of three sessions of treatment will be performed once a week in both groups. The total nasal symptom score (TNSS) and the Mini-Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (MiniRQLQ) at baseline and the end of the trial will be used to evaluate the efficacy of each treatment.
This study will be the first randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of pricking blood for the treatment of NAR. The results of this study will help establish an alternative approach for treating patients with NAR that do not respond to Western medication.
非变应性鼻炎（NAR），以前称为血管舒缩性鼻炎，是一种非变应性和非传染性的慢性疾病，伴有鼻腔充血、流涕，且嗜酸性粒细胞数量没有增加。尽管 NAR 的药物治疗，包括鼻内皮质类固醇和鼻内抗组胺药，已经在临床实践中使用，但鉴于现有药物治疗的相对疗效有限，替代非药物治疗可能在治疗 NAR 中发挥重要作用。针刺治疗是治疗各种疾病（包括鼻炎）的代表性潜在替代疗法。因此，本研究的目的是评估针刺迎香穴（ExHN9）相对于针刺外迎香穴（LI20）治疗 NAR 的疗效。
方法/设计：将进行一项随机、平行分组、对照、评估者单盲试验。50 名 NAR 患者将随机分为两组：一组接受 LI20 针刺治疗，另一组接受 ExHN9 刺血治疗。随机分组后，两组均每周进行一次共三次治疗。在基线和试验结束时，将使用总鼻症状评分（TNSS）和迷你鼻结膜炎生活质量问卷（MiniRQLQ）评估每种治疗的疗效。
本研究将是第一项评估针刺放血治疗 NAR 疗效的随机试验。该研究的结果将有助于为对西药治疗无反应的 NAR 患者建立一种替代治疗方法。
