Objective To analyze the regularity of acupoint selection

main acupoints and theoretical basis in acupuncture treatment of urticaria.Methods Papers collected from the time of establishment of each database to September of 2017 were retrieved from databases CNKI

CBM

VIP and WF by using keywords of"acupuncture""moxibustion""blood-letting therapy""autohemotherapy""cupping""acupoint catgut embedding""auricular points""acupoint injection""fire-needle"(or red-hot needle)

"dermal needle""needle-embedding""urticaria"in both Chinese and English.The collected papers were brought into analysis according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria

from which the prescriptions for acupuncture treatment of urticaria were subjected into descriptive statistical analysis

association rule analysis

and cluster analysis by using Access 2010

Clementine18.0 and Stata software.Results Outcomes of analysis indicated that the treatment methods of urticaria with acupuncture and moxibustion

with different emphases

may be classified into eight categories.For treating the exterior syndrome of urticaria

acupoints of the Bladder Meridian

Governor Vessel and Conception Vessel were often employed to harmonize Ying and Wei and to dispel the pathogenic wind

while for treating the interior syndrome

acupoints of the Large Intestine Meridian

Spleen Meridian

and Stomach Meridian were usually used to invigorate the spleen to dispel dampness and to regulate blood circulation.The top five frequently used acupoints were Quchi(LI 11)

Xuehai(SP 10)

Zusanli(ST 36)

Sanyinjiao(SP 6)and Geshu(BL 17).It was crucial to make use of the specific acupoints with adequate meridian-qi

such as He-Sea points

Back-Shu points

and YuanPrimary points.There were some fixed forms in the combination of acupoints

including LI 11

SP 10

Dazhui(GV 14)and auricular Lung

Shenmen

Fengxi

Adrenal gland

which had the highest confidence coefficient for the meridian points and ear acupoints

respectively.The outcomes of cluster analysis about the acupoint prescriptions showed that 12 acupoint groups as the SP 6-Hegu(LI 4)-LI 11-SP 10-ST 36

etc.were frequently used.Conclusion The regularity of acupuncture treatment of urticaria can be discovered using data mining technology

resulting in an in-depth understanding and having a solid theoretical basis.