Abstract
The current pharmacological management of depression remains limited.
The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture
in combination with fluoxetine as an intervention for major depressive
disorder (MDD).A total of 80 patients with MDD (DSM-IV) were randomized
to two groups: VA group received verum acupuncture, 10 mg/day fluoxetine
and placebo; SA group received sham acupuncture and 20-30 mg/day
fluoxetine. Acupuncture was applied 5 times a week over a period
of 6 weeks.A randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, sham-controlled
trial was conducted in Dehong Prefecture Traditional Chinese Medicine
Hospital.All subjects were assessed in a double-blind fashion at
four time points (i.e., baseline, the end of the second, fourth,
and sixth week of treatment. The primary outcome measure was the
therapeutic response rate based on the rate of total score change
in the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). Anxious
symptoms, antidepressant side-effects, and acupuncture adverse effects
were also measured additionally.At the end of the treatment period,
the therapeutic response rates were not statistically significant
between groups (80.0\% for the VA group and 77.5\% for the SA group,
respectively). No statistical significance was found between the
2 groups in the rate of HRSD score change (z = 1.80, p = 0.07), but
patients in the VA group showed better improvement than the SA group
in symptoms of anxiety and side-effects of antidepressant (z = 2.60,
p = 0.01 and z = 23.60, p < 0.001, respectively). The overall rate
of adverse events due to acupuncture was 8.75\%.Additionally applied
standardized acupuncture to low-dose fluoxetine for depression is
as effective as a recommended dose of fluoxetine treatment. Depressive
patients with severe anxious symptoms and/or intolerable side-effects
of antidepressants can benefit from it.
Users
Please
log in to take part in the discussion (add own reviews or comments).