Although acupuncture treatment is an additional cost for
many patients with different conditions, patients suffering from allergic
asthma found it is worthwhile to have acupuncture treatment, according to a
study published in Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
Scientists in Germany conducted a study to assess the
economic aspects of additional acupuncture in patients with asthma compared to
the patients with routine care, using direct and indirect cost difference and the
incremental cost-effective ratio of acupuncture. They found that although
acupuncture costs more than the control patients, treatment is associated with the
superior effectiveness in terms of quality-adjusted life years and the
incremental cost-effective ratio of acupuncture is improved.
Authors conclude that “Treating patients who have allergic
bronchial asthma with acupuncture in addition to routine care resulted in
additional costs and better effects in terms of patients' quality of life.
Acupuncture therefore seems to be a useful and cost-effective add-on treatment.”
Reference:
Reinhold T et al., Acupuncture in patients
suffering from allergic asthma: is it worth additional costs? J Altern
Complement Med. 2014 Mar;20(3):169-77. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24256028
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