Acupuncture is being rigorously tested as an addition to standard inhaled treatment for reducing cough and airway-related symptoms in cough-variant asthma.
This multicentre randomised, sham-controlled pilot study assigns adults with cough-variant asthma to receive either genuine acupuncture or simulated acupuncture alongside standard inhaled corticosteroid-based care. Participants receive sixteen treatment sessions across eight weeks and are followed for a further eight weeks. The study evaluates cough improvement using symptom ratings, questionnaires on cough sensitivity and quality of life, assessments of anxiety, depression and sleep, and measures of airway inflammation and blood eosinophils.
As this is a study protocol, no treatment results are reported. The primary planned comparison is whether genuine acupuncture produces a meaningful reduction in cough severity beyond standard care and simulated acupuncture, while secondary analyses examine broader symptom, wellbeing, sleep, and inflammatory outcomes.
