Exploration of the mechanism of action of stabbing and releasing blood combined with auricular acupressure in the treatment of chronic urticaria

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of stabbing and bleeding combined with auricular pressure in the treatment of chronic urticaria (CU) and the differential metabolites in the serum of patients before and after the treatment. Methods: Six patients with CU who met the requirements were recruited, and the changes in the degree of wind mass and itching at different time points were assessed using the Urticaria Activity Score (UAS), the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score of pruritus intensity, and the Dermatologic Disease Quality of Life Index (DLQI). The differential metabolites in the serum of patients before and after the treatment were further analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry duplex (LC/MS) and non-targeted metabolomics analysis. Results: Compared with baseline scores, UAS, VAS, and DLQI scores decreased significantly in six patients after the treatment, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). Results also suggested that stabbing and releasing blood for CU could down-regulate lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) in patients' serum. Conclusion: The combination of piercing and bloodletting with auricular acupressure can effectively improve the life quality of CU patients through lowering LPC in serum, and thus alleviating the clinical symptoms and improving the cure rate of CU patients.