Effectiveness and Safety of Electro-acupuncture for Mild-to-moderate Perimenopausal Depression

Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Depression; Perimenopause

Treatments: Device: electro-acupuncture; Drug: escitalopram oxalate tablets

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02423694

2012BAI24B01

Details and patient eligibility

About

Main objective: to compare the effects of electro-acupuncture and escitalopram oxalate tablets on mild-to-moderate perimenopausal depression, and to evaluate the safety of electroacupuncture stimulation.

Enrollment: 252 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 45 to 55 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Conforms to the diagnosis standard of STRAW-10 for perimenopause, conforms to the diagnosis standard of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) for depression, and conforms to the diagnosis standard of The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) F32.0(mild depression) or F32.1(moderate depression);
• Fisrt attack during perimenopausal period;
• HAMD-17 score >7 and <23;
• Age ≥45 to ≤55;
• No hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or no antidepressant 3 months before into the group;
• Sign the consent consent, volunteered for this study

Exclusion criteria

• Fail to rule out the possibility of suicide in depression factor of The Symptom Checklist (SCL-90);
• Application of estrogen, progesterone, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), soybean isoflavone, vitamin E or black cohosh in recent 4 weeks;
• Allergic to citalopram or escitalopram tablets;
• Taken the non selective, irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAOIs) in recent 2 weeks;
• Taken linezolid, pimozide, tryptophane,tramadol, triptans or other drugs that may cause drug adverse reactions in recent 2 weeks;
• Patient with prolongation of the QT interval or congenital long QT syndrome
• Taken herbs or products that contain isatin, pilose antler, hawthorn, fleeceflower root, common St.John's wort herb, hypericin;
• Ovarian dropsy or hysteromyoma with more than 4cm diameter, oophorectomy, or hysterectomy;
• Mandatory indications of hormonotherapy, such as surgery-induced menopause or osteoporosis;
• Patient with history of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy;
• Vaginal bleeding of undetermined origin;
• Patient with coagulation disorders, or taking anticoagulants such as Warfarin, or heparin;
• Patient with skin diseases, such as eczema,or psoriasis;
• Serious hepatic insufficiency or serious renal inadequacy;
• Uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, or thyroid disease;
• Diabetic neuropathy, or malignant tumor;
• Pregnancy intention, in pregnancy or lactation;
• Regular use of sedative and anti anxiety drugs;
• The long-term smoking and/or drinking;
• Having Pacemaker or artificial joint；
• Electrolyte is disorder, serious heart disease or other potential life-threatening disease patients;
• Compliance may be poor or fear of acupuncture.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

252 participants in 2 patient groups

Electroacupuncture

Experimental group

Description:

Baihui, Yintang, Guanyuan(dual), Zigong(dual), Sanyinjiao(dual), Hegu(dual), Taichong(dual). Insert needles to the acupoints mentioned above after sterilized.Needle handles of Baihui and Yintang are connected with the electroacupuncture instrument wire. And needle handles of bilateral Zigong are conneted with the electroacupunture instrument wire. And needle handles of bilateral Tianshu are connected with the electroacupunture instrument wire. Density wave, frequency of 10/50Hz and current intensity is 0.5\~1.0 mA for 30 minutes. 3 times per week. Each treatment interval of more than 24 hours, continuous treatment for 12 weeks.

Treatment:

Device: electro-acupuncture

escitalopram oxalate tablets

Active Comparator group

Description:

0.5 hour after breakfast oral taking 10mg escitalopram oxalate tablets, continuous treatment for 12 weeks.

Treatment:

Drug: escitalopram oxalate tablets