CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the combination of
acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have a beneficial effect on
patients with atopic dermatitis and may offer better results than
Chinese herbal medicine alone.

BACKGROUND: Patients with atopic dermatitis increasingly use
complementary medicine. Objective: The objective of this study was to
assess the effectiveness of the combination of Chinese herbal medicine
and acupuncture for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. METHODS: Twenty
(20) patients between the ages of 13 and 48 who had mild-to-severe
atopic dermatitis were given a combined treatment of acupuncture and
Chinese herbal medicine and were followed prospectively. The patients
received acupuncture treatment twice a week and the Chinese herbal
formula 3 times daily for a total of 12 weeks. Assessments were
performed before treatment, and at weeks 3, 6, 9, and 12 of treatment.
The primary outcomes were defined as the changes in the Eczema Area and
Severity Index (EASI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and
patient assessment of itch measured on a visual analogue scale (VAS).
RESULTS: After 12 weeks of treatment, an improvement in EASI was noted
in 100% of patients, when compared with the baseline. The mean EASI
fell from 4.99 to 1.81; the median percentage of decrease was 63.5%.
Moreover, 78.8% of patients experienced a reduction in DLQI and VAS, as
compared with the baseline. The mean DLQI decreased from 12.5 to 7.6 at
the end of treatment, with 39.1% improvement. Mean VAS decreased from
6.8 to 3.7, with 44.7% improvement. No adverse effects were observed.

PMID: 18990051 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE