Thought you might find this interesting. It's from a study done by Astrid Pujari, MD; and Bradly J. Jacobs, MD, MPH. Dr. Pujari is with the Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA; Dr. Jacobs is Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. One of the better medical studies that I've come across with respect to Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities.
Acupuncture and Smoking Cessation
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese technique, developed more than 2,000 years ago, that is based on the principle that energy in the human body flows along certain channels, called meridians. In health, this system holds that energy flows in a balanced manner along these channels. In disease, specific points along these channels on the body are stimulated, often with needles, to help rebalance the flow of energy (qi) and promote health. Support for using acupuncture for nicotine addiction stemmed from studies showing that it decreased the symptoms of opiate withdrawal in animals.3 Controlled trials on the use of acupuncture for smoking cessation, however, have had conflicting results. Of three reviews published, two concluded there was no benefit4,5 and one concluded that, although acupuncture looked promising, there was insufficient evidence to recommend it.6 The largest, most recent meta-analysis of 20 controlled studies found that acupuncture was not superior to sham acupuncture or other antismoking interventions, including behavioral counseling and nicotine replacement.7 The authors noted, however, that strongly positive results from three of the trials suggest a possible benefit for intensive and continuous acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncture and Asthma
There have been several reviews of controlled trials published on the effect of acupuncture in asthma.8-11 In general, the authors have noted that the studies on acupuncture and asthma have had small sample sizes and variable methodologic quality and study endpoints, and that these heterogenous studies have been marked by conflicting results.8-10 Of the three small, single-blind trials that have been published on the effect of acupuncture in patients with acute asthma, two reported statistically significant improvements in FEV1.9 The two studies on acupuncture in exercise-induced asthma had conflicting results, one positive and one negative.9 In terms of the effect of short-term acupuncture (1 to 12 weeks) as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of chronic asthma, a recent review of seven randomized, controlled trials found no statistically significant difference between acupuncture and sham acupuncture.8 A recently published controlled, crossover study assessing the effect of short-term acupuncture on moderate persistent asthma found no beneficial effect on lung function or patient symptoms.12
Acupuncture and Dyspnea With or Without COPD
Two trials (one open pilot study and one randomized, controlled trial) have assessed the effect of acupuncture in patients with disabling dyspnea. The pilot study found that in 20 patients with cancer-related breathlessness, there was a statistically significant improvement in subjective symptoms of dyspnea and anxiety.13 In the randomized controlled trial of 26 COPD patients with disabling breathlessness, similar improvements were found in subjective symptoms of dyspnea, in addition to an improvement in mean 6-min walking distance.14
One open study of 51 patients has been published on the use of acupuncture for the treatment of COPD. The authors report that 63.8% of the patients were able to eliminate steroid use for, on average, the last 10.2 months, and that seven patients were able to eliminate all medication use for, on average, the last 9.8 months.15 In the absence of randomized, controlled trials, however, it is difficult to draw a firm conclusion on the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of COPD.
Safety of Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a relatively safe therapy. The most common adverse events reported are pain at the needle site and bleeding.16 Other adverse effects include feelings of fatigue and vasovagal episodes.16 Serious complications from acupuncture are infrequent, but include transmission of infection, pneumothorax, and laceration of various organs.17 Transmission of both hepatitis B and C, secondary to improper sterilization or reuse of needles, has been documented, as well as case reports of sepsis and endocarditis. Many of these complications can be avoided with the use of disposable needles.
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese technique, developed more than 2,000 years ago, that is based on the principle that energy in the human body flows along certain channels, called meridians. In health, this system holds that energy flows in a balanced manner along these channels. In disease, specific points along these channels on the body are stimulated, often with needles, to help rebalance the flow of energy (qi) and promote health. Support for using acupuncture for nicotine addiction stemmed from studies showing that it decreased the symptoms of opiate withdrawal in animals.3 Controlled trials on the use of acupuncture for smoking cessation, however, have had conflicting results. Of three reviews published, two concluded there was no benefit4,5 and one concluded that, although acupuncture looked promising, there was insufficient evidence to recommend it.6 The largest, most recent meta-analysis of 20 controlled studies found that acupuncture was not superior to sham acupuncture or other antismoking interventions, including behavioral counseling and nicotine replacement.7 The authors noted, however, that strongly positive results from three of the trials suggest a possible benefit for intensive and continuous acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncture and Asthma
There have been several reviews of controlled trials published on the effect of acupuncture in asthma.8-11 In general, the authors have noted that the studies on acupuncture and asthma have had small sample sizes and variable methodologic quality and study endpoints, and that these heterogenous studies have been marked by conflicting results.8-10 Of the three small, single-blind trials that have been published on the effect of acupuncture in patients with acute asthma, two reported statistically significant improvements in FEV1.9 The two studies on acupuncture in exercise-induced asthma had conflicting results, one positive and one negative.9 In terms of the effect of short-term acupuncture (1 to 12 weeks) as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of chronic asthma, a recent review of seven randomized, controlled trials found no statistically significant difference between acupuncture and sham acupuncture.8 A recently published controlled, crossover study assessing the effect of short-term acupuncture on moderate persistent asthma found no beneficial effect on lung function or patient symptoms.12
Acupuncture and Dyspnea With or Without COPD
Two trials (one open pilot study and one randomized, controlled trial) have assessed the effect of acupuncture in patients with disabling dyspnea. The pilot study found that in 20 patients with cancer-related breathlessness, there was a statistically significant improvement in subjective symptoms of dyspnea and anxiety.13 In the randomized controlled trial of 26 COPD patients with disabling breathlessness, similar improvements were found in subjective symptoms of dyspnea, in addition to an improvement in mean 6-min walking distance.14
One open study of 51 patients has been published on the use of acupuncture for the treatment of COPD. The authors report that 63.8% of the patients were able to eliminate steroid use for, on average, the last 10.2 months, and that seven patients were able to eliminate all medication use for, on average, the last 9.8 months.15 In the absence of randomized, controlled trials, however, it is difficult to draw a firm conclusion on the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of COPD.
Safety of Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a relatively safe therapy. The most common adverse events reported are pain at the needle site and bleeding.16 Other adverse effects include feelings of fatigue and vasovagal episodes.16 Serious complications from acupuncture are infrequent, but include transmission of infection, pneumothorax, and laceration of various organs.17 Transmission of both hepatitis B and C, secondary to improper sterilization or reuse of needles, has been documented, as well as case reports of sepsis and endocarditis. Many of these complications can be avoided with the use of disposable needles.
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