The Observations On Long-Term Curative Effects Of The Combination Of Acupuncture And Medication In Depression Treatments

Purpose:Trough the combination of acupuncture and SSRIs drugs in depression treatments, this article observed long-term therapeutic effects of the combination of acupuncture and medication in depression treatments, discussed the superiority of the combination of acupuncture and medication, and also discussed the best time of acupuncture re-intervention.Methods:There were totally 127 trial participants that met the diagnostic criteria of western medicine and inclusive criteria were depression in-patients of medical psychology ward of Nanjing Brain Hospital and received treatments from February 2009 to January 2010. In accordance with the principle of informed consent every trial participant had taken orally one kind of SSRIs drugs by conventional dose, and the 127 trial participants were divided into group A, drug control group, including 63 cases, and group B, the group of the combination of acupuncture and medication, including 64 cases, by using randomization concealment. Center randomized allocation scheme was made by Evidence-Based Medicine Center of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The patients were assessed with HAMD and SDS respectively at the 0,1st,2nd,4th,6th week, assessed with SERS respectively at the 0,2nd,4th,6th week, and were assessed with WHOQOL-BREF respectively at the beginning and the end of treatment. The follow-up inquires were started after the 6-week acupuncture treatments (Did not stop drugs), the time of follow-up inquires were respectively at the 4th week,6th month, and one year after the end of treatments, at the same time, patients'follow-up evaluations were carried out in the form of HAMD,SDS,SERS,WHOQOL-BREF.Results:After 6-week acupuncture treatments, in every time-stage of treatments and follow-up inquires, there are significant differences between group A and group B in the following aspects, such as, cure showing rate and effective rate,HAMD points,each factor scores of HAMD,SDS points,SERS points,WHOQOL-BREF points (P<0.01),and shows that the short and long term curative effects of acupuncture and medication group(group B) are superior to that of SSRI antidepressants, and significantly reduces the side effects of drugs, and also markedly improves the patients'health statuses and qualities of life. The fact that HAMD points line of drug control group (group A) rose during the period of the 6-week treatments to half-year follow-up inquires indicates the trend of recurrence. In terms of sleep factor, the self-comparison within acupuncture and medication (group B):In the comparison from the 4-week and half a year follow-up inquires to leaving the hospital (the end of 6-week treatments), the differences have no significant meaning (P>0.05), shows that the patients changed little in terms of sleep after 4 weeks and half a year of leaving the hospital, and essentially remains the same sleep factor status as that they left hospital. But in the comparison from the time of one year follow-up inquires to 6-week treatments, there are significant differences (P<0.01), shows that the patients change greatly in terms of sleep one year after discharged compared with it at the time of leaving hospital, and there is the tendency of recurrence, but the status is still better than that before the treatments, this indicated that the half-year effective of depression treatment of acupuncture and medication group is the best, therefore, the acupuncture will still re-intervene after half a year. The recurrence rate within half year after discharged of the two groups is different significantly (P<0.05), but there no significant meaning one year after discharged (P>0.05), this indicates that, within half year after discharged, the combination of acupuncture and medication has advantages in the reduction of depression recurrence rate, but there are no significant advantages during the period from half year to one year after discharged.Conclusion: The short and long term curative effects of the combination of acupuncture and medication in depression treatment are superior to SSRI antidepressants.1. The combination of acupuncture and medication can greatly improve every factor of HAMD.2. Acupuncture can reduce side effects produced by SSRI antidepressants.3. Acupuncture can reduce recurrence rate of depression.4. Acupuncture can greatly improve depression patients'health conditions and their qualities of life.5. The best time of acupuncture reintervention in depression treatment is half a year.