Therapeutic effects of Tongdu Qishen acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine decoction on post-stroke depression in 31 patients / 中国基层医药

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of Tongdu Qishen acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine decoction on post-stroke depression in patients. Methods:Sixty-two patients with post-stroke depression who received treatment in Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University from October 2020 to April 2022 were included in this study. They were randomly treated either with traditional Chinese medicine decoction (control group, n = 31) or Tongdu Qishen acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine decoction (combined group, n = 31) based on routine medication. All patients were treated for 4 weeks. Depressive state, neurological function, and activities of daily living were compared between the two groups. Results:Before treatment, there were no significant differences in the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, and Barthel index between the two groups (all P > 0.05). After 4 weeks of treatment, the HAMD and NIHSS scores in the control group were (13.88 ± 3.92) points and (8.56 ± 1.82) points, respectively, and they were (8.72 ± 2.48) points and (6.67 ± 1.14) points in the combined group. There were significant differences in HAMD and NIHSS scores between the two groups ( t = 2.14, 2.43, both P < 0.05). The Barthel index in the combined group was (69.53 ± 13.29) points, which was significantly higher than (62.34 ± 15.67) points in the control group ( t = 2.23, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Tongdu Qishen acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine decoction can reduce depressive symptoms and improve neurological function and activities of daily living in patients with post-stroke depression. The combined therapy has obvious efficacy in the treatment of post-stroke depression.