Abstract
To estimate the efficacy of acupuncture for depression during pregnancy
in a randomized controlled trial.A total of 150 pregnant women who
met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth
Edition) criteria for major depressive disorder were randomized to
receive either acupuncture specific for depression or one of two
active controls: control acupuncture or massage. Treatments lasted
8 weeks (12 sessions). Junior acupuncturists, who were not told about
treatment assignment, needled participants at points prescribed by
senior acupuncturists. All treatments were standardized. The primary
outcome was the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, administered
by masked raters at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment.
Continuous data were analyzed using mixed effects models and by intent
to treat.Fifty-two women were randomized to acupuncture specific
for depression, 49 to control acupuncture, and 49 to massage. Women
who received acupuncture specific for depression experienced a greater
rate of decrease in symptom severity (P<.05) compared with the combined
controls (Cohen's d=0.39, 95\% confidence interval CI 0.01-0.77)
or control acupuncture alone (P<.05; Cohen's d=0.46, 95\% CI 0.01-0.92).
They also had significantly greater response rate (63.0\%) than the
combined controls (44.3\%; P<.05; number needed to treat, 5.3; 95\%
CI 2.8-75.0) and control acupuncture alone (37.5\%; P<.05: number
needed to treat, 3.9; 95\% CI 2.2-19.8). Symptom reduction and response
rates did not differ significantly between controls (control acupuncture,
37.5\%; massage, 50.0\%).The short acupuncture protocol demonstrated
symptom reduction and a response rate comparable to those observed
in standard depression treatments of similar length and could be
a viable treatment option for depression during pregnancy.Clinicaltrials.gov,
www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00186654.
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