title: Efficacy of acupuncture for chronic asthma: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although asthma symptoms can be temporarily controlled, it is recommended to use effective low-risk, non-drug strategies to constitute a significant advance in asthma management. Acupuncture has been traditionally used to treat asthma; however, the evidence for the efficacy of this treatment is still lacking. Previous clinical trials of acupuncture in treating asthma were limited by methodological defects; therefore, high-quality research is required.
  
  
  METHODS
  This trial is designed as a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group controlled trial. Patients with mild to moderate asthma will be randomly allocated to either a verum acupuncture plus as-needed salbutamol aerosol and/or prednisone tablets group or a sham acupuncture plus as-needed salbutamol aerosol and/or prednisone tablets group. Acupoints used in the verum acupuncture group are GV14 (Da Zhui), BL12 (Feng Men), BL13 (Fei Shu) and acupoints used in the sham acupuncture group are DU08 (Jin Suo), BL18 (Gan Shu), BL19 (Dan Shu). After a baseline period of 1 week, the patients in both groups will receive verum/sham acupuncture once every other day with a total of 20 treatment sessions in 6 weeks and a 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome will be measured by using the asthma control test and the secondary outcomes will be measured by using the percentage of symptom-free days, the average dosage of salbutamol aerosol and/or prednisone tablets, lung functions, daily asthma symptom scores, asthma quality of life questionnaire, and so on.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This trial will assess the effect of acupuncture on asthma and aims to provide reliable clinical evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture in treating asthma.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01931696 , registered on 26 August 2013.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. collegeylm@shutcm.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Lei-Miao
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. wy.sh.cn@163.com.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. fanlei0803@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. xydong0303@126.com.
authors.forename: Yu-Dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. wqwang1988@163.com.
authors.forename: Wen-Qian
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. yan_doc@163.com.
authors.forename: Yan-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China. jtfeng1976@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jun-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China. huchengp28@126.com.
authors.forename: Cheng-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: No. 3 Hospital Affiliated to Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China. wpyer@163.com.
authors.forename: Pei-Yu
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Dachang Hospital, Shanghai, China. zhangtief@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Tie-Feng
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: No. 3 Hospital Affiliated to Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China. shaosuju@163.com.
authors.forename: Su-Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. yyq@shutcm.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yong-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D000336:Aerosols; D000368:Aged; D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002681:China; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012107:Research Design; D013607:Tablets; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D000336:Aerosols; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D013607:Tablets; D000420:Albuterol; D011241:Prednisone