OBJECTIVETo assess the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on depression.

METHODSA systematic evaluation of all relevant randomized controlled trials (RCT) about acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of depression was carried out by the study methods of evidence-based medicine. The data were statistically analyzed with a special analysis software RevMan 4.2.

RESULTSFourteen papers of RCT met the enrolled criteria. Four of the trials used double-blind method. Meta-analysis indicated that the effective rate was no significant difference between the acupuncture treatment and medication, and acupuncture treatment is better than Amitriptyline in improvement of HAMD scores, but no significant differences as compared with other drugs.

CONCLUSIONBoth acupuncture and medication possibly are effective for depression with good safety. However, because of lower methodological quality of the trials, this conclusion needs further be confirmed.

Depression is related to stagnation in the body. At present, the treatment with acupuncture for depression focuses on the theories of the governor vessel, liver, spleen, stomach and the entity of five organs, especially for the adult group. However, the attention to adolescent depression is insufficient. It is recorded in that meridian is taken as the pivot of three meridians, dominates the regulating of the ascending and dispersing of and plays the key role in treatment. The authors believe that starts growing at the period of youth, to which s meridian is corresponded. It is viewed that adolescent depression is closely related to the pivot function of . In this paper, based on the theory of "taking as the pivot", the mechanism of adolescent depression and the acupoint selection in acupuncture treatment are explored so as to utilize this theory in the treatment of adolescent depression with acupuncture.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Depression ; therapy ; Humans ; Meridians

OBJECTIVETo assess clinical therapeutic effect and safety of acupuncture combined with fuxiting on depression.

METHODSFifty-three cases of depression were divided into an observation group (n = 30) treated by acupuncture combined with fuxiting and a control group treated by fuxiting. Their clinical therapeutic effects were assessed by HAMD, HAMA and CGI, and adverse effects by TESS.

RESULTSAfter treatment of 6 weeks, the total effective rate was 80.0% in the observation group and 69.6% in the control group with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). There were significant differences in scores of HAMD and HAMA before and after treatment in the two groups (P < 0.01), with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The adverse effect in the observation group was less and milder than that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture combined fuxiting has good therapeutic effect on depression with less and mild adverse effects.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effects and safety on female depression treated with the combined therapy of acupuncture and the five-element music therapy. METHODS: A total of 120 female patients with depression were randomized into an electroacupuncture (EA) group, an acupuncture group, a five-element music therapy group and a group of the combined therapy of acupuncture and the five-element music therapy (combined therapy group), 30 cases in each one. In the EA group, the electric stimulation of acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Shenting (GV 24), Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taichong (LR 3), with disperse-dense wave, 10 Hz/50 Hz, and 0.5 ms in wavelength. The needles were retained for 30 min. In the acupuncture group, the acupoints were same as the EA group, but without electric stimulation. In the five-element music therapy group, the music of tune was adopted in the treatment. In the combined therapy group, the acupuncture treatment and the five-element music therapy were same as the acupuncture group and the five-element music therapy group, in which the music therapy was followed after acupuncture treatment. The treatment was given once a day, at 2 days of interval after every 5 treatments in a week, totally for 8 weeks. The Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) before and after treatment and the treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) after treatment were observed in each group. The clinical effects and safety were compared among the groups. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 86.7% (26/30) in the combined therapy group, better than 66.7% (20/30) in the EA group, 63.3% (19/30) in the acupuncture group and 53.3% (16/30) in the five-element music therapy group (<0.01, <0.05). After treatment, HAMD and HAMA scores were all reduced obviously in the patients of the 4 groups (all <0.01), and the scores in the combined therapy group were lower than the other 3 groups (all <0.01). The TESS score in the combined therapy group was lower than the other 3 groups (all <0.01) and the score in the five-element music therapy group was lower than the EA group and the acupuncture group (both <0.01). CONCLUSION In the female patients, the combined treatment with acupuncture and the five-element music therapy obviously reduces the severity of depression and anxiety, as well as the adverse reactions. The effects are better than the simple application of EA, acupuncture or music therapy.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Depression ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Music Therapy

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect on mild and moderate postpartum depression treated with acupuncture of METHODS: A total of 116 patients with mild and moderate postpartum depression were divided into an acupuncture group (103 cases) and a non-acupuncture group (13 cases) according to treatment regimen provided. In the acupuncture group, acupuncture of RESULTS: The total effective rate of the acupuncture A group was 100.0% (31/31), better than 76.9% (10/13) in the non-acupuncture group and 58.1% in the acupuncture B group (18/31) ( CONCLUSION Acupuncture of
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Depression/therapy* ; Depression, Postpartum/therapy* ; Female ; Humans ; Needles ; Treatment Outcome

We aimed to compare the recommendations of the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Depressive Disorder 2012 (KMAP-DD 2012) with other recently published treatment guidelines for depressive disorder. We reviewed a total of five recently published global treatment guidelines and compared each treatment recommendation of the KMAP-DD 2012 with those in other guidelines. For initial treatment recommendations, there were no significant major differences across guidelines. However, in the case of nonresponse or incomplete response to initial treatment, the second recommended treatment step varied across guidelines. For maintenance therapy, medication dose and duration differed among treatment guidelines. Further, there were several discrepancies in the recommendations for each subtype of depressive disorder across guidelines. For treatment in special populations, there were no significant differences in overall recommendations. This comparison identifies that, by and large, the treatment recommendations of the KMAP-DD 2012 are similar to those of other treatment guidelines and reflect current changes in prescription pattern for depression based on accumulated research data. Further studies will be needed to address several issues identified in our review.
Depression ; Depressive Disorder* ; Drug Therapy ; Prescriptions

Some new antidepressants including mirtazapine and citalopram appear to have promising efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of depression. For most major depression, all antidepressant drugs have equal efficacy. The choice of antidepressant drug needs to be tailored to a particular patient's medical condition and personal preferences. It is likely that adverse effects are the major determinant in the choice of antidepressant for a particular patient. However, in treating conditions other than depression, the efficacy of the ntidepressant drug can be the primary issue of drug choice. In conclusion, we would like discuss the current status and future direction in the treatment of depression.
Antidepressive Agents ; Citalopram ; Depression* ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans

It is known that the personality is the crucial factor in the treatment outcome of depression. The authors tried to identify the results of such studies and various components which determine the treatment outcome of depression. Nearly 60 papers published between the year 1990 and 2000 about the treatment of depression and personality were reviewed. Among them about 30 papers were selected to compere the research methods, results and discussions. The arguments and critics of the papers were discussed. In the many debates, the authors admitted the fact that premorbid personality trait influences the treatment outcome of depression negatively regardless of treatment method. Subtyping of depression is feasible along the presence of good or bad predictors of treatment outcome for depression. Differentiation of depression and personality seems to have no problem, however test of personality state before the development of psychiatric disorder such as depression is not amenable. For example, cluster A personality trait is often misunderstood as depression in clinical setting. In some cases cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in the treatment of depression accompanying personality disorder. The authors insist that the analysis of personality in the dimensional aspect rather than in the categorical aspect gives more information in the research of personality influencing the treatment outcome of depression. In addition, the reason why we understand the relationship between depression and personality were discussed.
Cognitive Therapy ; Depression* ; Personality Disorders ; Treatment Outcome

Hallucinogens/therapeutic use* ; Depression/drug therapy*

Antidepressive Agents/pharmacology* ; Depression/drug therapy*