Effectiveness of Pharmacopuncture for Asthma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Summary of randomized clinical trials of pharmacopuncture for asthma.

First author (year)	Wang (2008) [10]	Lu (2005) [11]	Liang (2004) [12]	Tong (2007) [13]
Stage, Levels of severity	Acute, n.r.	Acute, n.r.	Catabasis, all levels	Acute, mild persistent and moderate persistent
Patient age/duration of disease	PA: 32 ± 18.6 y/12 ± 9.8 y	A: 49 y/3.6 y	PA: 36.87 ± 8.85 y/10.11± 4.58 y	PA: 45.74 y/3.8 y
	Con: 35 ± 20.3 y/12 ± 8.5 y	Con: 47 y/2.3 y	Con: 37.58 ± 6.21 y/11.01 ± 3.34 y	Con: 41.9 y/3.63 y
Intervention (Regimen)	(A) PA (1 mL/point, q.d. for 2 weeks, 𝑛=82), plus (B)	(A) PA (1 mL/point, q.d. for 10–15 days, 𝑛=34), plus (B)	(A) PA (1 mL/point, 2 times/week, 3 months/session, 3 month break between 2 sessions, 4 sessions in total, 𝑛=34) plus (B)	(A) PA (1.5–2 mL/point, q.d. for 10 days, 𝑛=60) plus conventional therapies (anti-inflammation, spasmolysis, dyspnea relief and sputum elimination)
Control (Regimen)	(B) Bricalin inhalation (0.25–0.5 mL, t.i.d. for 2 weeks, 𝑛=76)	(B) Glucocorticoid, aminophylline, acidity modulation, oxygen uptake, etc. (𝑛=34)	(B) Beclomethasone dipropionate + ventolin inhalation (q.d. for 2 years, dosage modulated depending on symptoms, 𝑛=35)	(B) Bricalin inhalation (0.5 ml t.i.d. for 10 days, 𝑛=30), plus conventional therapies (anti-inflammation, spasmolysis, dyspnea relief, and sputum elimination)
Study design	A + B versus B	A + B versus B	A + B versus B	A + C versus B + C
Main outcome measure	(1) PFT (FVC, FEV1, PEF)	Symptom response rate (degree of the asthmatic attack)	(1) Symptom response rate (degree of asthmatic attack, change in PEF% or FEV1%, steroids and bronchodilators required or not)	(1) Symptom response rate (blood routine examination, frequency of asthma attack, breathing rate, pulse rate, and wheezing sound)
	(2) Symptom response rate (degree of asthmatic attack, change in PEF% or FEV1%, steroids and bronchodilators required or not)		(2) Difference between post-treatment and prior-treatment values of FVC and FEV1	(2) PEF
Intergroup difference	(1) FVC, 𝑃<.01; FEV1, 𝑃<.01; PEF, 𝑃<.01	𝑃<.05	(1) 𝑃<.01	(1) NS
	(2) 𝑃<.01		(2) FVC, 𝑃<.01; FEV1, 𝑃<.01	(2) 𝑃<.05
Ingredients of the injection	Radix Astragali	Bufo, Radix Astragali, Semen Ginkgo, Semen Armeniacae Amarum, Radix et Rhizoma Asteris, Radix Peucedani, Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis, Radix Aconiti lateralis Praeparata, Fructus Piperis, and so forth.	Radix Astragali	Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Rhizoma Chuanxiong, Flos Carthami
Acupoint	ST36, BL13, BL23 (one side at a time)	RN22	BL13 (one side at a time), DU14	EX-B1, BL13, RN22, SJ6, ST40 (one side at a time)

Con: control; d: day(s); m: month(s); FEV₁: forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FVC: forced vital capacity; n.r.: not reported; NS: not significant; PA: pharmacopuncture; w: week(s); y: year(s); PEF: peak expiratory flow; PFT: pulmonary function test.