Efficacy of Bimin decoction for patients with perennial allergic rhinitis: an open-label non-inferiority randomized controlled trial

Abstract

BackgroundAllergic rhinitis (AR) is a common allergic disease. It affects people worldwide and traditional Chinese medicine is becoming popular among AR patients because it has a definite clinical effect and there are few adverse reactions. Lung qi deficiency and cold syndrome (LQDCS) is a frequent type of AR, and the Chinese herbal medicine bimin decoction (BMD) is prescribed for it. This study compared the clinical efficacy of BMD for AR patients with LQDCS to the conventional medicine loratadine and fluticasone nasal spray.MethodsThe study was an open-label non-inferiority randomized controlled trial. A total of 108 AR patients with LQDCS aged 19 to 60 were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to the BMD group or the control group by the central computer system in Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2017 to April 2018. In total, 98 participants completed the study (BMD group n = 51 and control group n = 47). Patients in the BMD group received BMD while those in the control group received fluticasone nasal spray and loratadine tablets for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in the Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) between the baseline and the end of treatment. Changes in the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ), nasal resistance, and acoustic rhinometry parameters were secondary outcomes. All side effects due to the treatments were recorded.ResultsAfter the 4-week treatment, the total TNSS was significantly reduced in both groups compared to the baseline (P < 0.05). No significant between-groups differences were observed for changes in TNSS scores [− 0.298 (95% confidence interval −0.640 to 0.140)], which was within the defined non-inferiority margin. RQLQ in both groups decreased significantly (P < 0.001) from baseline, though a more obvious reduction was observed for the BMD group (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in nasal resistance, nasal volume, or nasal minimum cross-sectional area between groups after treatment (P > 0.05).ConclusionsThese findings indicate that BMD helps relieve the symptoms of perennial AR and improves rhinitis-related quality of life. Our study indicates that BMD is non-inferior to loratadine tablets and fluticasone nasal spray for AR patients with LQDCS.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-INR-16010063. Registered on 2 December 2016.

Oral application of Chinese herbal medicine for allergic rhinitis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

“…Wang, Cai, Wang, & Chen, 2018;L. Wang & Li, 2019;Xuan, 2019;Yan et al, 2019;Zhao et al, 2019;Zhong, 2013;Zou, Niu, Liu, & Xing, 2012) and 17 of them were included in the meta-analysis (Duan, 2017;Gao, 2009;Hao, 2017;Hu, 2018;Huang & Teng, 2018;Jia, 2017;Jin, 2010;Liu et al, 2001;Lu et al, 2011;Qiu, 2012;Shi & Liu, 2017;J. Wang et al, 2018;L.…”

“…Wang et al, 2018;L. Wang & Li, 2019;Xuan, 2019;Yan et al, 2019;Zhao et al, 2019;Zhong, 2013). The list of the excluded full-text articles has been provided in Table S3.…”

“…All 18 included studies are RCTs (17 two-armed trials [Duan, 2017;Gao, 2009;Hao, 2017;Hu, 2018;Huang & Teng, 2018;Jia, 2017;Jin, 2010;Liu et al, 2001;Lu et al, 2011;Qiu, 2012;Shi & Liu, 2017;L. Wang & Li, 2019;Xuan, 2019;Yan et al, 2019;Zhao et al, 2019;Zhong, 2013;Zou et al, 2012] and one three-armed trial [J. Wang et al, 2018]).…”

“…Wang et al, 2018;L. Wang & Li, 2019;Xuan, 2019;Yan et al, 2019;Zhong, 2013;Zou et al, 2012) and one in English (Zhao et al, 2019).…”

“…Till today, many of these herbs are still used in clinical practice (Kreiner, 2016). Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been carried out to evaluate clinical effects and safety of CHM interventions for AR management with varying results (Yan et al, 2019;Zhao et al, 2019). Some published systematic reviews have indicated that CHM may be beneficial for AR participants, compared to placebo (S. Wang, Tang, Qian, & Fan, 2012;Zhang, Lan, Zhang, & Zhang, 2018).…”