Efficacy of auricular bloodletting therapy for acute urticaria: A propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study.
5 affiliations
- 1Department of First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- 2Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Quzhou TCM Hospital at the Junction of Four Provinces Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Quzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- 3Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- 4Department of Dermatology, Hangzhou Third Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- 5Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Abstract
Acute urticaria is a common condition that can affect individuals across all age groups. Current pharmacological treatments primarily rely on antihistamines and corticosteroids. However, these therapies may be limited by suboptimal efficacy, dose- and time-dependence, and potential adverse effects. Therefore, the incorporation of effective adjunctive therapies is of considerable clinical value. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of auricular bloodletting (BL) therapy on the length of hospital stay in patients with acute urticaria. Poisson regression was used to compare differences in hospitalization duration between groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to minimize selection bias. Subgroup analyses by sex and age, as well as robustness checks using bootstrap resampling and Rosenbaum sensitivity analysis, were also performed. Before PSM, Poisson regression indicated that the bloodletting group had significantly shorter hospital stays. The effect was significant in the male, female, and adult subgroups. After PSM, the incidence rate ratios remained below 1 in all models, and statistical significance was observed. No significant differences were observed in the female or adult subgroups post-matching, whereas statistical significance was retained in the male subgroup. No adverse events were reported. Bootstrap and Rosenbaum sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings. Patients who received auricular BL experienced shorter hospital stays. Post-matching results showed that statistical significance was retained in the male subgroup. Given the limited sample size in the intervention group, further prospective studies with larger cohorts are warranted to validate these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
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BibTeX
@article{xu2026efficacy,
title = {{Efficacy of auricular bloodletting therapy for acute urticaria: A propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study.}},
author = {Lan Xu and Xiujuan Xu and Yuejun Han and Ruyi Ju and Yueping Wang and Xuan Wu and Jiahui Zhou and Yi Cao},
journal = {Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1097/md.0000000000051145},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42888574},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Efficacy of auricular bloodletting therapy for acute urticaria: A propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study.
AU - Lan Xu
AU - Xiujuan Xu
AU - Yuejun Han
AU - Ruyi Ju
AU - Yueping Wang
AU - Xuan Wu
AU - Jiahui Zhou
AU - Yi Cao
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Medicine
DO - 10.1097/md.0000000000051145
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42888574
AB - Acute urticaria is a common condition that can affect individuals across all age groups. Current pharmacological treatments primarily rely on antihistamines and corticosteroids. However, these therapies may be limited by suboptimal efficacy, dose- and time-dependence, and potential adverse effects. Therefore, the incorporation of effective adjunctive therapies is of considerable clinical value. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of auricular bloodletting (BL) therapy on the length of hospital stay in patients with acute urticaria. Poisson regression was used to compare differences in hospitalization duration between groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to minimize selection bias. Subgroup analyses by sex and age, as well as robustness checks using bootstrap resampling and Rosenbaum sensitivity analysis, were also performed. Before PSM, Poisson regression indicated that the bloodletting group had significantly shorter hospital stays. The effect was significant in the male, female, and adult subgroups. After PSM, the incidence rate ratios remained below 1 in all models, and statistical significance was observed. No significant differences were observed in the female or adult subgroups post-matching, whereas statistical significance was retained in the male subgroup. No adverse events were reported. Bootstrap and Rosenbaum sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings. Patients who received auricular BL experienced shorter hospital stays. Post-matching results showed that statistical significance was retained in the male subgroup. Given the limited sample size in the intervention group, further prospective studies with larger cohorts are warranted to validate these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
SN - 0304-5412
SN - 1536-5964
ER -