The effect of acupuncture on depression and its correlation with metabolic alterations: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Medicine (Baltimore) 2020-10, Vol.99 (43), p.e22752-e22752
• Main Authors: Li, Wei, Sun, Manqin, Yin, Xuan, Lao, Lixing, Kuang, Zaoyuan, Xu, Shifen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Clinical Trial/Experimental Study; Correlation of Data; Depression - drug therapy; Depression - metabolism; Depression - therapy; Double-Blind Method; Electroacupuncture; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pilot Projects
• ISSN: 0025-7974; 1536-5964
• DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000022752

Electroacupuncture (EA) treatment has antidepressant effect and when patients were treated with EA and antidepressants, the effect could be maintained for a longer time. However, the effect of EA combined with antidepressants based on metabolism is still in the initial observation stage, which requires further research. A total of 60 patients with moderate depression were assigned into 2 groups at a ratio of 1:1, the EA group (receiving EA and antidepressants) and the control group (taking antidepressants only) in this randomized controlled pilot trial. The EA treatment was performed 3 times a week for 8 consecutive weeks and then follow up for 4 weeks. The patients' depressive mood was measured by the Hamilton Depression scale (HAMD) at baseline, week 4, week 8 and week 12. Before and after 8-week treatment, morning urine samples from all patients were analyzed by the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to find possible metabolic markers of depression and of EA treatment related changes. Compared with the control group, the EA group showed more significant improvements in depressive symptoms measured by HAMD at week 4 (16.89 ± 5.74 vs 25.58 ± 7.03, P