Table 3.

Changes from baseline in the 14-day nasal symptom scores (median (25^th percentile, 75^th percentile))

	Real acupuncture group	Sham acupuncture group	P value
	(N = 30)	(N = 31)
After treatment (week 2)
Nasal obstruction	2.00 (1.00, 2.00)*	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	<0.001
Rhinorrhea	2.00 (2.00, 2.00)*	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	NS
Sneezing	1.50 (1.00, 2.00)*	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	<0.001
Nasal itch	1.00 (1.00, 3.00)*	1.00 (0.00, 2.00)	NS
TNSS	6.00 (5.75, 7.00)*	7.00 (7.00, 10.00)	<0.001
Follow up (week 4)
Nasal obstruction	1.00 (1.00, 2.00)*	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	<0.001
Rhinorrhea	2.00 (1.00, 2.00)*	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	<0.01
Sneezing	1.00 (1.00, 2.00)*	3.00 (2.00, 3.00)	<0.001
Nasal itch	1.00 (0.00, 1.00)*	2.00 (1.00, 2.00)	<0.01
TNSS	5.00 (4.00, 7.00)*	8.00 (7.00, 10.00)	<0.001
Follow up (week 8)
Nasal obstruction	2.00 (1.00, 2.00)	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	<0.001
Rhinorrhea	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	NS
Sneezing	2.00 (1.00, 2.00)*	3.00 (2.00, 3.00)	<0.01
Nasal itch	2.00 (1.00, 2.00)	1.00 (1.00, 2.00)	NS
TNSS	7.00 (6.00, 8.00)*	8.00 (7.00, 10.00)	<0.01
Follow up (week 12)
Nasal obstruction	2.00 (1.00, 2.00)	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	<0.05
Rhinorrhea	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	3.00 (2.00, 3.00)	NS
Sneezing	3.00 (2.00, 2.00)	3.00 (2.00, 3.00)	NS
Nasal itch	2.00 (1.00, 2.00)	2.00 (1.00, 2.00)	NS
TNSS	8.00 (7.00, 10.00)	9.00 (8.00, 9.00)	NS
Follow up (week 16)
Nasal obstruction	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	NS
Rhinorrhea	2.00 (2.00, 2.25)	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	NS
Sneezing	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	2.00 (2.00, 3.00)	NS
Nasal itch	1.00 (1.00, 2.00)	1.00 (1.00, 2.00)	NS
TNSS	8.00 (7.00, 10.00)	9.00 (1.00, 10.00)	NS

NS no significant difference

P values are for comparison of the real acupuncture group and the sham acupuncture group

*Statistically significant compared to the baseline score when assessed against the least significant difference (α: 0.05/3 = 0.0167)