Acupuncture in Depression: From the Clinical Trial, Biomarkers to Molecular Biology
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 40
- 试验地点
- 2
- 主要终点
- The Change from Baseline Hamilton depression rating scale at 12 weeks
研究概览
简要总结
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious psychiatric illness with a high lifetime prevalence rate and causes major clinical, social and economic burden to patients and their family. Despite more than 40 antidepressants with various mechanisms are available on the market, half of patients fail to achieve remission with optimized medication treatment. Due to unsatisfactory efficacy, frequent intolerability and poor compliance of psychopharmacotherapies, novel and safe alternative therapies are critically in need to improve the treatment of depression.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory describes a state of health maintained by a balance of energy in the body. If imbalanced, it can be corrected by acupuncture, the insertion of fine needles into different parts of the body. Although there are several clinical trials to demonstrate the antidepressant effects of acupuncture, its biological and physiological mechanisms are still unknown. In addition, clinical depression is frequently accompanied with somatic presentations, which are related to autonomic nervous dysfunction. It would be of interest to know if acupuncture could regulate autonomic nervous system (ANS) and improve the somatic symptoms in depression. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of depression and to determine the influence of acupuncture on the molecular and ANS systems.
详细描述
In this study,the investigators will test the antidepressant effect of acupuncture versus sham intervention on major depression, in an eight-week, double-blind, randomized-controlled trial in 40 MDD patients who still have significant depressive symptoms without changing at their treatment modality for the last 4 weeks. During the visits at weeks 0 (baseline), 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 (intervention), and 12 (4 weeks after intervention), subjects will be assessed depressive symptoms with the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). Before and after the intervention (Weeks 0 and 8),Computerized TCM constitution diagnosis will be measured and the blood samples will be collected for biomarker analyses, including neurotransmitter, inflammatory molecules and immunologic function. All parts of this research will start after being approved by the Institution Review Board in study sites.
The outcomes of this study could provide the evidence of applying acupuncture as an alternative effective treatment for depression and to improve the understanding of biological mechanisms for its antidepressant effects.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 65 Years（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 否
入选标准
- •Clinical diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD)
- •Over 18 on the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression
排除标准
- •Schizophrenia
- •Ubstance dependence disorders
研究组 & 干预措施
acupucture
For real acupuncture, disposable acupuncture needles (0.22 x 30-mm sterile stainless needles) were inserted into acupoints for a depth of 10-30 mm in a direction oblique or parallel to the surface.
干预措施: Acupuncture (Other)
control
For sham acupuncture procedure, Streitberger's noninvasive placebo acupuncture needles will be used. Its validity and credibility have been well demonstrated (Streitberger and Kleinhenz, 1998). The needles will be affixed with plastic O-rings and adhesive tapes. The needles with blunt tips will be quickly put onto the same acupoints used in real acupuncture without inserting into the skin.
干预措施: Acupuncture (Other)
结局指标
主要结局
The Change from Baseline Hamilton depression rating scale at 12 weeks
时间窗: weeks 0 (baseline) and 12 weeks
This scale scores 0-64 points;The higher total score indicates a more severe
次要结局
- The Change from Baseline Pittsburgh sleep Quality Inventory rating scale at 12 weeks(weeks 0 (baseline) and 8 weeks)
研究者
Kuan-Pin
Chief of psychiatry
National Science Council, Taiwan