Clinical Observation of Jie Yu Tong Fu Needling for Depression Coupled with Constipation / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Jie Yu Tong Fu (anti-depression and unblocking Fu-organs) needling in treating depression coupled with constipation. Method Sixty-four eligible patients with depression accompanied by constipation were recruited and randomized into a treatment group and a control group at 11. Each group had 2 dropout cases, and finally there were 30 complete cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by Jie Yu Tong Fu needling by selecting Baihui (GV20), Yintang (GV29), Shenmen (HT7), Neiguan (PC6), Hegu (LI4), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Taichong (LR3), Tianshu (ST25), Zusanli (ST36) and Shangjuxu (ST37); the control group was intervened by sham acupuncture. The two groups were treated 3 times a week, for successive 8 weeks, 24 sessions in total. The two groups were evaluated by adopting Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Patient Assessment of Constipation-Symptoms (PAC-SYM) before the intervention, after 4-week and 8-week intervention, and 4 weeks after the whole intervention. Result Before the intervention, there were no significant between-group differences in the scores of HMAD, HAMA and PAC-SYM (P>0.05). The treatment group showed significant improvements in HAMD, HAMA and PAC-SYM scores after 4-week and 8-week treatment, as well as in the 4-week follow-up study compared to the scores before the treatment, and the improvements were more significant than those in the control group (P<0.01,P<0.05). The total effective rate was 90.0% in the treatment group, versus 66.7% in the control group. Conclusion Jie Yu Tong Fu needling can effectively ameliorate the depression and anxiety state and constipation-related symptoms in depression patients.