Effectiveness of trauscranial electrotherapy stimulation aiding venlafaxine in treatment of generalized anxiety disorder / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of transcranial electrotherapy stimulation (TES)on patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). MethodsA total of 62 patients with GAD were randomly divided into two groups,the study group (treated with TES and venlafaxine) and the control group (treated with venlafaxine only).TES was administered 1 time per day for 14 days,while venlafaxine was administered with oral intake of 75-150mg/d for 4 weeks.The clinical effects were assessed by using Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA).ResultsThere was no difference between the two groups in average HAMA total scores,psychic and somatic factor scores before the treatments (P ＞ 0.05).The effective rate of study group was significantly higher ( P ＜ 0.05 ) at the end of the 1 st week after treatment than,but similar at the end of the 2nd and 4th week after treatment (P ＞ 0.05 ) to that,of control group,with regard to HAMA total score and psychic factor score.With regard to the HAMA somatic factor score,the effective rate of study group was not significantly different from that of control group at the end of the 1st,2nd and 4th week after treatment (P ＞ 0.05).ConclusionTranscranial electric stimulation in conjunction with venlafaxine may improve the symptoms of anxiety of patients.