Clinical research on the effect of acupoint catgut embedding therapy on the efficacy and quality of life of patients with allergic rhinitis

Abstract

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupoint embedding for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and the impact on patients' quality of life. Methods 90 patients with AR who were diagnosed and treated in our hospital from Jun. 2013 to Dec. 2015 were divided into the catgut embedding group) and the western medicine group by random number table method. The patients in the catgut embedding group were treated with acupoint catgut embedding therapy, while the patients in western medicine group were treated with cetirizine orally. Patients in both groups were treated for 2 months and followed up at the sixth month after the end of treatment to compare the clinical efficacy, quality of life, and serum immunoglobulin E levels. Result During treatment, 5 cases were detached from the catgut embedding group and 6 cases were detached from the western medicine group. After treatment, the effective rate was 62.5% in the catgut embedding group and 87.2% in the western medicine group, and it was significantly better than that of the catgut embedding group; at the sixth month follow-up, the effective rate was 92.5% in the catgut embedding group and 59% in the western medicine group, and the long-term efficacy of the catgut embedding group was significantly better than that of the western medicine group; in terms of rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) scores, patients in both groups improved significantly after treatment and at the sixth month follow-up compared with those before treatment; however, at follow-up, the catgut embedding group showed better improvements in sleep, nasal symptoms, and emotion than the western medicine group; and serum IgE levels decreased after treatment in both groups compared with those before treatment, but there was no significant difference between groups. Conclusion Acupoint catgut embedding therapy can effectively treat AR, and improve the quality of life of patients with AR.