The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

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    Effect of acupuncture in atopic eczema

    eczemaProf. Florian Pfab from the Technische University Munchen, in Germany has reported that acupuncture prevents histamine-induced itching.

    In this study Prof. Pfab and colleagues report its effect on the wheal and flare response in adults with atopic eczema.

    Atopic dermatitis is an allergic inflammatory condition of the skin, usually causing itching.

    First, the details.

    • An allergen stimulus (house dust mite or grass pollen skin prick) was applied to 30 patients with atopic eczema before and after acupuncture treatments.
      • Acupuncture at points Quchi (LI11; around the elbow), Xuehai (SP10; knee)
      • Placebo-point acupuncture
      • No acupuncture
    • Itch intensity was recorded on a visual analogue scale.
    • After 10 minutes, wheal and flare size and skin perfusion were measured at the stimulus site.
    • Participants completed the Eppendorf Itch Questionnaire, which was developed in Germany by dermatologists and neurophysiologists.

    And, the results.

    Acupuncture before the stimulus

    • Compared to placebo acupuncture and no acupuncture, itch intensity was significantly less with acupuncture.
    • Eppendorf Itch Questionnaire ratings were significantly lower with acupuncture and placebo acupuncture vs no acupuncture.

    Acupuncture after the stimulus

    • Wheal and flare size were significantly smaller after acupuncture vs placebo acupuncture and no acupuncture.
    • Perfusion (spread) was significantly less with acupuncture vs no acupuncture.
    • Eppendorf Itch Questionnaire ratings were significantly lower with acupuncture and placebo acupuncture vs no acupuncture.

    The bottom line?

    The authors concluded, “Acupuncture at the correct points showed a significant reduction in type I [immediate] hypersensitivity itch in patients with atopic eczema.”

    12/29/09 22:13 JR

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