Effect of acupuncture on exercise-induced asthma

Abstract

Sixteen young asthmatic patients with exercise-induced asthma participated in a single-blind trial comparing the protective effects of needle auricular acupuncture over the lung loci and those over the lumbago loci (serving as sham points). Effects were assessed from the mean maximal percentage fall in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) after running on a treadmill for 8 min. There was no significant change in baseline FEV₁ and maximal flows at 50% and 25% of vital capacity ($\dot V$ ₅₀ &$\dot V$ ₂₅) after true and sham acupuncture, suggesting that auricular acupuncture at the loci chosen did not alter the basal bronchomotor one of our asthmatic patients. There was also no significant difference in the percentage fall of FEV₁ after exercise between the control run and those after true and sham acupuncture. Therefore auricular acupuncture offered no protection against exercise-induced asthma.