Objective To observe the clinical effect of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion combined with Rhinocort spray in the treatment of symptoms

sleep quality and daily life quality of patients with moderate-severe allergic rhinitis(AR).Methods A total of 67 patients with persistent moderate-severe AR were recruited in the present study and randomized into a treatment group(n=35)and a control group(n=32).The patients in the treatment group were treated by herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion(applied to Dazhui[GV14]

and bilateral Feishu [BL13]

Shenshu [BL23]and Zhiyang [GV9]

3 moxacones/time

once every other day)plus Rhinocort spray(once in the morning and evening separately

256!g/d)

and patients in the control group treated by Rhinocort spray alone(the same to that mentioned above).All the treatments were given for4 weeks.The therapeutic effect was evaluated with reference to the "Principles and Recommended Schemes for Diagnosis and Treatment of AR"formulated by Otolaryngology Branch of Chinese Medical Association before and after the treatment.The severity of symptoms of AR was assessed by using visual analogue scale(VAS)

the life quality of nasal conjunctivitis assessed using"Rhino-conjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire(RQLQ)"

and the sleep quality assessed using"Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)"before and after the treatment

followed by 3 months' follow-up survey.Results After the treatment

the VAS and RQLQ scores in both groups and PSQI of the treatment group were significantly decreased in comparison with their own base-line levels of pre-treatment in each group(P<0.05).The RQLQ and PSQI in the treatment group were substantially lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).No marked difference was found between the two groups in VAS(P>0.05).Follow-up survey showed that the VAS and RQLQ scores in both groups and PSQI of the treatment group were still significantly lower than those of pre-treatment in each group(P<0.05)

and the VAS

RQLQ and PSQI scores of the treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group(P<0.05).After 4 weeks' treatment

of the 32 and 35 AR patients in the control and treatment groups

7 and 16 experienced marked improvement

16 and 14 were effective

and 9 and 5 failed

with the effective rate being 71.9% and 85.7%

respectively.The effective rate of the treatment group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion combined with Rhinocort spray has a good therapeutic effect in improving symptoms

sleep and quality of life in patients with persistent moderate-severe AR

which is obviously superior to that of Rhinocort spray alone in improving sleep and quality of life.