Background. The aim of this work was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture and its impact on the immune system in comparison to loratadine in the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis caused by house dust mites. Methods. In this study, 24 patients suffering from persistent allergic rhinitis induced by house dust mites were treated either with acupuncture ( ) or with loratadine ( ). The evaluation of the data was based on the subjective and the objective rhinoconjunctivitis symptom scores, specific and total IgE, and interleukins (IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ) as markers for the activity of Th1 or Th2 cells. Results. The treatments with acupuncture as well as with loratadine were considered effective in the patients’ subjective assessment, whereby the effect of the acupuncture tended to be assessed as more persistent after the end of treatment. A change in the specific or the total IgE was not detectable in either group. The interleukin profile showed the tendency of an increasing IL-10 value in the acupuncture group. The results of the study show that the effectiveness of acupuncture is comparable to that of loratadine. Conclusion. Acupuncture is a clinically effective form of therapy in the treatment of patients suffering from persistent allergic rhinitis. The results indicate the probability of an immunomodulatory effect. 1. Introduction With a prevalence of 20 to 30%, allergic rhinitis is one of the most frequent atopic diseases in Western Europe [1–3]. It leads to a decrease of the patients’ quality of life [4] and causes great cost for medication and social benefits [5]. House dust mites, namely, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and D. farinae, are two of the most common persistent allergens. In 30% of all house dust mite allergies, a development of allergic bronchial asthma with coexisting nasal symptoms is expected. Especially in patients suffering from untreated allergic rhinitis, an exacerbation usually follows 5–15 years after the first occurrence of nasal symptoms [6]. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), of which acupuncture is a part, gains in importance as an addition to conventional therapies. According to a report of the World Health Organization of 2002 [7] and to clinical studies [8], acupuncture is ranked among the sufficient methods for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and further allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma [9, 10]. Despite the conventional forms of therapy, 64% of patients suffering from persistent allergic rhinitis (PER) desire acupuncture as an alternative form of therapy [11]. Two of the latest
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