Efficacy and safety of acupoint application for allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: To use evidence-based medicine to explore the efficacy of acupoint application (AA) for allergic rhinitis (AR) at different time points and its safety.

Methods: We searched 7 databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and China Biology Medicine disc) as well as the international clinical trial registration platform from January 2010 to March 2020 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of AA versus placebo, Western Medicine or other alternative therapies on AR. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane handbook, and statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.