ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of auricular plaster therapy for depression in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.Methods Sixty patients with depression in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes were randomly allocated to group A of 18 cases, broup B of 22 cases and group C of 20cases. In addition to conventional hypoglycemic treatment, group A received psychological intervention; group B, auricular plaster therapy; group C, oral administration of fluoxetine hydrochloride capsules. Pre-/post-treatment changes in fasting blood glucose, two-hour postprandial blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score were observed in the three groups after eight weeks of treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the three groups.Results There were no statistically significant post-treatment differences in fasting blood glucose, two-hour postprandial blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin among the three groups (P>0.05). There was a statistically significant pre-/post-treatment difference in the HAMD score in the three groups (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the HAMD score between groups B and A at two, four, six and eight weeks after treatment (P<0.05), between groups B and C at two weeks after treatment (P<0.05) and between groups C and A at two, six and eight weeks after treatment (P<0.05). The total efficacy rate was 77.8% in group A, 90.9% in group B and 90.0% in the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in the total efficacy rate between group B or C and group A (P<0.05).Conclusion Auricular plaster therapy plus medication is an effective way to treat depression in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.