The Application of Auriculotherapy to the Treatment of Chronic Spontaneous Urticarial: a SystematicReview and Meta-analysis

Publication date: Available online 6 September 2018Source: Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian StudiesAuthor(s): Libing Zhu, Yunjin Kim, Zongbao YangAbstractAuriculotherapy has been extensively used for chronic spontaneous urticaria in China. However, the evidence of its effectiveness and safety for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria is insufficient. Hence, we conducted this study to compare auriculotherapy or auriculotherapy joint treatment with western medicine for the cure of chronic spontaneous urticaria. This meta-analysis of seven RCTs showed that auriculotherapy or auriculotherapy joint treatment was significantly superior to western medicine in curing clinical signs and symptoms of chronic spontaneous urticaria (OR 2.61; 95% CI 1.54 to 4.43; p=0.0004), and also better in total effect rate (OR 3.81; 95% CI 2.07 to 7.01; p＜0.0001). But, auriculotherapy or auriculotherapy joint treatment was similar to western medicine in improving clinical signs and symptoms of chronic spontaneous urticaria (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.35 to 1.56; p=0.42). Auriculotherapy or auriculotherapy joint treatment was safer than western medicine for curing chronic spontaneous urticaria (OR 0.26; 95% CI 0.09 to 0.80; p=0.02). Auriculotherapy alone or auriculotherapy joint treatment appears to be more effective and safer than western medicine that contain antihistamines in the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the unc...
Source: Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies - Category: Complementary Medicine Source Type: research