Currently submitted to: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Jun 20, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Jun 20, 2026 - Aug 15, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Acupoint Catgut Embedding for Perennial Allergic Rhinitis: A Randomized, double-blinded Trial Protocol
ABSTRACT
Background:
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a prevalent IgE‑mediated chronic nasal inflammation. Conventional pharmacotherapy offers symptomatic relief but is limited by high recurrence rates and adverse effects. Acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) is widely used for AR in China; however, existing evidence has significant methodological flaws.
Objective:
To rigorously evaluate the efficacy of ACE for perennial AR using a double‑blind, randomized controlled design.
Methods:
This parallel‑arm, multicenter, double‑blind trial will enroll 126 eligible participants, randomized 1:1 to ACE plus loratadine or sham ACE plus loratadine. The treatment period lasts 4 weeks, followed by 12 weeks of follow‑up. Primary outcomes are changes in Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) at week 12；serum total IgE (baseline, week 4) and Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) at week 12. Secondary outcomes include serum total IgE and TCM syndrome scores.
Results:
Funding began in July 2024. Recruitment runs from January to December 2026, with results expected in January 2027.
Conclusions:
This study will provide robust, high‑quality data on ACE’s efficacy for AR, addressing previous methodological limitations and informing future clinical practice.
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