title: A pilot controlled trial of a combination of dense cranial electroacupuncture stimulation and body acupuncture for post-stroke depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our previous studies have demonstrated the treatment benefits of dense cranial electroacupuncture stimulation (DCEAS), a novel brain stimulation therapy in patients with major depression, postpartum depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The purpose of the present study was to further evaluate the effectiveness of DCEAS combined with body acupuncture and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in patients with post-stroke depression (PSD).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a single-blind, randomized controlled trial, 43 patients with PSD were randomly assigned to 12 sessions of DCEAS plus SSRI plus body electroacupuncture (n = 23), or sham (non-invasive cranial electroacupuncture, n-CEA) plus SSRI plus body electroacupuncture (n = 20) for 3 sessions per week over 4 weeks. Treatment outcomes were measured using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), the Clinical Global Impression - Severity scale (CGI-S) and Barthel Index (BI), a measure used to evaluate movement ability associated with daily self-caring activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DCEAS produced a significantly greater reduction of both HAMD-17 and CGI-S as early as week 1 and CGI-S at endpoint compared to n-CEA, but subjects of n-CEA group exhibited a significantly greater improvement on BI at week 4 than DCEAS. Incidence of adverse events was not different in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that DCEAS could be effective in reducing stroke patients' depressive symptoms. Superficial electrical stimulation in n-CEA group may be beneficial in improving movement disability of stroke patients. A combination of DCEAS and body acupuncture can be considered a treatment option for neuropsychiatric sequelae of stroke.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01174394.
authors.forename: Sui-Cheung
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Man
authors.forename: Ben H B
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Roger M K
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Xiao-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hobby
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Mandy P M
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Leonard S W
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kwok-Pui
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Kei-Pui
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Kevin W Y
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ziea
authors.forename: Vivian T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: The School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China. zhangzj@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Zhang-Jin
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors