OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of post-stroke depression (PSD) by regulating the liver and strengthening the root prescription.

METHODSIn light of the random controlled trial principle, 123 cases were randomized into an acupuncture-moxibustion group (42 cases), a medication group (40 cases) and an acupuncture + medication group (41 cases). In the acupuncture-moxibustion group, the therapy of regulating the liver and strengthening the root was applied. Acupuncture was given at Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (LR 3), Baihui (GV 20, Yintang (GV 29), etc. The granule moxibustion was applied at Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Qihai (CV 6). The treatment was given once a day and stopped in weekend. In the medication group, paroxetine hydrochloride tablets were prescribed for oral administration, 20 mg each day after breakfast. In the acupuncture + medication group, the therapies were adopted as the acupuncture-moxibustion group and the medication group. In the 2nd and 4th week of treatment, HAMD was used as the primary index and Barthel index as the secondary one for the efficacy assessment in the three groups respectively. The spleen and stomach syndrome scale of TCM was used for the assessment of TCM syndrome efficacy. Treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) was applied for the safety assessment.

RESULTSIn the 4th week of treatment, the markedly effective rates were 69.0% (29/42), 65.0% (26/40) and 70.7% (29/41) in the acupuncture-moxibustion group, the medication group and the acupuncture + medication group respectively. The efficacies of anti-depression were similar in comparison among groups (P > 0.05). In the 2nd week of treatment, the improvement of HAMD score was significant in the acupuncture + medication group as compared with that before treatment and in comparison with the medication group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). As for improving Barthel index, reducing the spleen and stomach symptom score of TCM and decreasing the score of TESS, the results in the acupuncture-moxibustion group and the acupuncture + medication group were superior to those in the medication group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe therapy of acupuncture and moxibustion with regulating the liver and strengthening the root achieves the definite efficacy of anti-depression and presents the quite high safety in treatment.