Clinical efficacy of an integrated traditional Chinese and Western medication regimen on depression in the elderly / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of an integrated traditional Chinese and Western medication regimen on depression in the elderly.Methods:Sixty elderly patients with depression were randomly divided into two groups.The integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine group was treated with an in-house preparation composed of traditional Chinese medicine ingredients plus Escitalopram oxalate for 4 weeks, and the control group was treated with Escitalopram oxalate for 4 weeks.The clinical efficacy was assessed by the Hamilton depression(HAMD)scale.Adverse drug reactions were assessed by the treatment emergent symptoms scale(TESS).Results:After 4 weeks of treatment, HAMD scores in both groups were decreased compared with those before treatment, with a greater reduction in HAMD scores in the integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine group than in the control group(0.71±4.36 vs. 0.52±3.45, t=2.54, P=0.03). TESS scores were lower in the integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine group than in the control group after 4 weeks of treatment(8.42±5.30 vs.16.01±7.02, t=3.25, P=0.02). Conclusions:Compared with Western medicine therapy alone, the integrated traditional Chinese and Western medication regimen has better efficacy and fewer adverse drug reactions for the treatment of depression in the elderly.