Project Title:

Tian Jiu Therapy on Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma
天灸對過敏性鼻炎和哮喘病的治療

Principal Investigator:

Dr Lei LI

Organization:

School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Start Year:

2009 - 2010

Status:

Completed

Type of Study:

Research

Summary:

Background

Tianjiu therapy has established efficacy against chronic asthma with related symptoms or the medication need during asthma attack. This study aimed to explore the optimal duration of Tianjiu therapy for asthma. 

Methods

This study was a self-comparison-to-the-baseline study, which comparing treatment with Tianjiu therapy for 1 year and 2 years in the same 102 chronic asthma patients. Totally 6 sessions of Tianjiu treatment were provided, 3 sessions in a year as a course of treatment and totally two years treatment. The primary endpoint was the number of asthma related symptoms which frequently appeared in asthma patients and the frequency of bronchodilator used during asthma attack. 

Results

The frequency of bronchodilator used during asthma attack significantly improved (χ2= 46.276, P = 0.000). But the number of asthma related symptoms which frequently appeared in asthma patients added by 1.38 points (95% CI, 0.25 to 2.51), 2.93 ± 0.41 in 1-year group and 4.31 ± 0.41 in the 2-years group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The effect of 2 years Tianjiu therapy was not as effective as 1 year such treatment for asthma, but the second year Tianjiu therapy was still needed because it has a role to consolidate the curative effect of Tianjiu therapy for asthma.

 Reference: 
Zhu, L. B., Zhang, W., Wong, V., Eric, Z., Lo, K. C., Chan, W. C., . . . Li, L. (2014). Two Years versus One Year of Tianjiu Therapy in Sanfu Days for Chronic Asthma: A Clinical Efficacy Observation Trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2014, 807598. doi: 10.1155/2014/807598

Zhu L, Zhang W, Wong V, Eric Z, Lao L, Lo K, Chan W, Yau T, Li L. (2016). Randomized trial of acupoints herbal patching in Sanfu Days for asthma in clinical remission stage. Clin Transl Med. 5(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s40169-016-0084-7. 


 Keywords: 
Tianjiu; Sanfu Days; Chronic Asthma; Asthma; Efficacy; Observation Trial; Human
天灸; 三伏天灸; 慢性哮喘; 功效; 觀察研究; 人類