Acupuncture for Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Randomized Multicenter Trial

In a recent randomized multicenter trial published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the effectiveness of acupuncture for patients grappling with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) was evaluated. The study was conducted from May 27, 2019, to July 30, 2022, and enrolled 330 participants diagnosed with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU).

With a study period of 8 weeks, the initial 4 weeks were allocated for treatment and another 4 for follow-up. Participants were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or waitlist control. The primary outcome measured was the mean change from baseline in the Weekly Urticaria Activity Score (UAS7) at week 4.

Results

The results of this study demonstrated modest improvement in the acupuncture group, with a mean change in UAS7 from baseline to week 4 of -8.2. When compared with sham acupuncture and waitlist control groups, the mean changes were -4.1 and -2.2, respectively. The acupuncture outperformed the control groups, but the differences did not meet the threshold for minimal clinically important difference.

The adverse events were reported in 13.6% of the acupuncture group, while none were reported in the other groups. Importantly, these effects noted were classified as mild or transient.

Conclusion

This trial contributes to the conversation on alternative therapies for CSU, providing a more highlighted assessment than previous smaller-scale studies. The results indicate that acupuncture might offer some relief for CSU patients, but the clinical significance of the improvement remains underwhelming. The discussions on holistic healthcare and alternative treatments continue to evolve, and this study adds a different perspective to the ongoing dialogue surrounding the role of acupuncture in managing chronic conditions.

Reference

Zheng, H., Xiao, X.-J., Shi, Y.-Z., Zhang, L.-X., Cao, W., Zheng, Q.-H., Zhong, F., Hao, P.-S., Huang, Y., Chen, M.-L., Zhang, W., Zhou, S.-Y., Wang, Y.-J., Wang, C., Zhou, L., Chen, X.-Q., Yang, Z.-Q., Zou, Z.-H., Zhao, L., … Li, Y. (2023). Efficacy of acupuncture for chronic spontaneous urticaria: A randomized controlled trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.7326/m23-1043