Controlled Trial of Chinese Herbal Medicine to Treat Allergic Rhinitis

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2014-10-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The aim of this study is to test and compare the effectiveness between three groups - Cure-Allergic Rhinitis Syrup (CS), Yuk ping fung San (YS) and placebo groups - of adolescents (nursing students) with Allergic Rhinitis (AR) in improving their symptoms of AR, body constitution pattern and health-related quality of life.

• The hypothesis are to test the effectiveness of the CS treatment on these students' AR symptoms and quality of life at immediately, one month and two months after completion of the 4-week intervention, when compared with the YS treatment and placebo group.

1. Cure-Allergic Rhinitis Syrup (CS) group will show significantly reduction of AR symptoms over the 2-month follow-up, when compared to those in YS and placebo groups.

2. CS group will indicate a healthier body constitution pattern over the follow-up, when compared to those with YS and placebo group.

3. CS group will indicate significantly greater improvement of their quality of life over 2-month follow-up, when compared to those with YS and placebo group.

• Phase: Phase 1/Phase 2
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria of the participants are:

1. Nursing students in a full-time bachelor degree program in School of Nursing at The University under study;

2. They are diagnosed by Western medicine and/or TCM practitioner with allergic rhinitis, including those seasonal or perennial one for at least two years;

3. They have a body constitution of Cold and Yang-Deficiency, according to the TCM assessment;

4. They are aged 18 or above and able to speak Cantonese and/or Mandarin; and

5. They can understand written Chinese language, particularly the questionnaires used.

Exclusion Criteria of these students include those who have:

1. A body constitution pattern of Hot and/or Yin-Deficiency, according to the TCM assessment;

2. Currently been taking long-term medications such as anti-hypertensive and psychiatric drugs;

3. Known medical history of co-morbidity of a recent acute and/or chronic disease such as heart, liver and lung disease, cancer, and/or mental illness;

4. Recently undergone major operation(s), are receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or are going to be admitted into hospital over the study period; and

5. Known allergy history of Chinese herbal medicine .