The 66 randomized patients with mild bronchial asthma who took part in this
study were divided into three nearly equal groups. Group one was treated w
ith true acupuncture during the first and the fourth month (up to week 16).
Group two was treated similarly but needled at non-acupuncture points. The
third group served as a control. All patients were allowed to maintain the
ir normal asthma medication with the recommendation to keep the regimen unc
hanged until week 20, i.e. 4 weeks after termination of the specific treatm
ent. The changes in peak now variability up to week 16 served as main outco
me criterion. Additional parameters included several spirometric analyses a
s well as various markers in blood and sputum that are specific for the all
ergic inflammatory reaction of the upper respiratory tract. The values meas
ured showed considerable individual variability. This impeded the demonstra
tion of efficacy. In conclusion it can be stated that there was a consisten
t, positive yet unspecified effect of the needling in both treated groups w
hich can be interpreted as a trend in affecting the asthmatic condition. Th
is effect could have been more pronounced or even clinically relevant for c
ertain individuals had one considered a separate analysis of the data of ea
ch patient.