A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial Testing the Efficacy and Safety of Pterygopalatine Fossa Puncture Using One Acupuncture Needle for Moderate-to-Severe Persistent Allergic Rhinitis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of pterygopalatine fossa puncture using one acupuncture needle inserted through the temporal fossa (intervention) and Chinese verum acupuncture (VA) in patients with moderate-to-severe persistent allergic rhinitis. METHODS: The patients were randomized to an intervention group receiving pterygopalatine fossa puncture with one acupuncture needle for 4 weeks (once or twice weekly, 4-8 sessions in total, with a second course performed if required) or to a control group receiving individualized VA for 4 weeks (twice weekly, eight sessions in total). Patients were followed up 4 weeks later. RESULTS: Ninety-six participants were assigned to intervention (n = 48) or VA (n = 48) or VA (P > 0.05 in all cases). Compared with the VA, the time to onset of effect in the intervention group was shorter and the duration of effectiveness was longer. The mean clinical waiting time was significantly shorter in the intervention group than in the control group (6.640 ± 3.035 min and 31.19 ± 10.216 min, respectively). The total number of sessions in the VA group was 384; 7 episodes of subcutaneous bleeding occurred but did not require treatment. The total number of sessions in the intervention group was 185. Two cases of subcutaneous bleeding (one of local hematoma during the intervention and the other one of bruising in the palpebra inferior on the day after intervention) resolved upon withdrawal from the study. CONCLUSIONS: Pterygopalatine fossa puncture using one acupuncture needle resulted in a shorter time to onset of effect, a longer duration of effectiveness, and less clinical waiting time when compared with VA. Though the significant differences for TNSS and TNNSS were shown within intervention and VA groups, there were no differences between the two groups. Although the rate of subcutaneous bleeding was low, these adverse events may influence patient compliance. This trial is registered with ISRCTN21980724.

Phenotypic variability in a chinese family with nondeletional Hb H-Hb Quong Sze disease.

Hb H (ß4) disease is the most common form of thalassemia intermedia. Two main types of Hb H disease, deletional and nondeletional, are characterized. Patients with nondeletional Hb H disease are usually more anemic with organomegaly; some may require regular blood transfusions and even be as severely affected as Hb H hydrops fetalis. However, there is no clear genotype-phenotype correlation associated with this severe clinical syndrome as patients with identical genotypes do not necessarily show the same severity. In this report, we described two nondeletional Hb H-Hb Quong Sze [α125(H8)Leu→Pro, CTG>CCG (α2)] disease individuals in a family who presented with phenotypic variability.

Identification of a new α chain variant at codons 22-25 (-9 nts) using the Sebia capillarys 2 electrophoresis system.

We have identified a new α chain hemoglobin (Hb) variant in a Chinese family. Sequencing of the amplified α2-globin gene revealed a 9 nucleotide (nt) deletion (-C GAG TAT GG) at codons 22-25, which results in a predicted α-globin chain that is missing amino acid residues 23-25 (Glu-Tyr-Gly) and the formation of Hb Zhanjiang.