Clinical observation on treatment of depression by electro-acupuncture combined with Paroxetine.
OBJECTIVE
To observe the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of Paroxetine combined with electro-acupuncture (EA) in treating depression.


METHODS
Forty-two patients with depression were randomly assigned to the observation group (22 patients) treated with EA combined with Paroxetine, and the control group (20 patients) treated with Paroxetine alone, and the therapeutic course for both groups was 6 weeks. The therapeutic efficacy and adverse reactions were evaluated with scores by Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and treatment emergent symptoms scale (TESS), respectively.


RESULTS
HAMD scores determined at the end of the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of the treatment course were significantly lower in the observation group than those in the control group (P<0.05). The significant improvement rate evaluated at the end of the 6-week treatment was remarkably higher in the observation group than that in the control group (72.7% vs 40.0%). No significant difference of TESS scores was found between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
EA combined with Paroxetine has better clinical efficacy than that of Paroxetine alone, with milder adverse reaction and quicker initiation of effect.
Zhang
Gui-jin
GJ
Department of Psychology, Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shiyan City, Hubei, 442012, China.
Shi
Zhan-yu
ZY
Liu
Sen
S
Gong
Shi-hu
SH
Liu
Ji-qiang
JQ
Liu
Ji-shan
JS
D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors