Acupuncture in bronchial asthma: bodyplethysmographic measurements of acute bronchospasmolytic effects.
In 12 patients with bronchial asthma the effects of acupuncture (45 tests altogether) on airway resistance have been investigated. In 9 patients there was a significant decrease of airway resistance 10 minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours after the end of acupuncture. The lowest level for airway resistance (70.1% of control value) was reached during the first hour after acupuncture. The possibility of a merely suggestive effect could be excluded, because "placebo-acupunctures" did not change airway resistance significantly. The comparison with a parasympatholytic acting drug as a metered aerosol (Atrovent) demonstrated that acupuncture had a somewhat weaker bronchospasmolytic effect. Three patients did not show any reaction after repeated acupunctures.
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010993:Plethysmography, Whole Body