title: Electroacupuncture for refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder: a pilot waitlist-controlled trial.
abstract: A large proportion of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients are refractory to pharmacological and cognitive-behavioral therapy. The aim of this pilot, waitlist-controlled trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) as add-on therapy for treatment-resistant OCD. Nineteen patients with treatment-resistant OCD were assigned to EA treatment for 12 sessions (5 sessions per week, n = 10) or waitlist for controls (n = 9) while continuing their current anti-OCD medications. The clinical outcomes were measured using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and the Clinical Global Impression-Severity at baseline and end point. EA additional treatment produced significantly greater improvements at end point compared with the waitlist group in reducing both Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (10.2 +/- 4.2 vs. 18.8 +/- 7.4, p = 0.004) and Clinical Global Impression-Severity scores (3.0 +/- 1.1 vs. 4.4 +/- 1.1, p = 0.002). As an additional therapy, EA is effective in alleviating OCD symptoms of treatment-resistant patients. A large-scale controlled study is warranted.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. zhangzj@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: Zhang-Jin
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xue-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qing-Rong
authors.initials: QR
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Gui-Xing
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Shao-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012107:Research Design; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists