Open-Label Placebos Improve Symptoms in Allergic Rhinitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Presents a study which aims to investigate whether placebos without deception may also work for allergic rhinitis. The authors conducted a two-group randomized controlled trial including 25 participants with allergic rhinitis. The participants were asked to assess their allergic symptoms by using a questionnaire describing different symptoms. After 2 weeks, all participants were invited for a second examination to assess again their allergic symptoms. Post hoc t tests revealed that the allergic symptoms of the open-label placebo group significantly decreased over time,. whereas the control group demonstrated only a slight improvement, which was not significant. With regard to single symptoms we found no responses to the treatment for headaches, tiredness, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, breathlessness, billowed eyelids, itching, prickling, or burning feelings in the nose, impaired sense of smell or taste, and mucus in the throat. There were no significant effects for the outcome measure quality of life. The results suggest that open-label placebos seem to improve symptoms of allergic rhinitis better than a control group with comparable patient-adviser contact.