Clinical effect of acupuncture in treatment of post-stroke depression:a report of 20 cases

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture at Sishencong points and Five-zang Back shu points in the treatment of post-stroke depression.Methods:Forty patients with post-stroke depression who met inclusion criteria were randomly divided into treatment group(n = 20) and control group(n = 20).The treatment group received acupuncture at Sishencong points and Five-zang Back-shu points in addition to basic treatment,while the control group received fluoxetine in addition to basic treatment.The course of treatment was 28 d in both groups.The degree of depression was evaluated using Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD) in both groups before and after treatment,and the clinical effect was evaluated by statistical analysis.Results:After treatment,both groups showed significant decreases in total HAMD scores(P 0.05),and there was no significant difference in degree of decrease between the two groups(P 0.05).The treatment group had a cure and marked response rate of 55% and an overall response rate of 90%,versus 50% and 90% in the control group(P 0.05).Conclusion:Acupuncture at Sishencong points and Five-zang Back-shu points has a marked clinical effect in the treatment of post-stroke depression.It can relieve depression in the patients,with a comparable effect to that of fluoxetine,and shows promise for clinical application.