Therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with antidepressants on changes in the HAMD-17 score in major depressive disorder

The effectiveness of antidepressant medications ranges from 60%-70%, and serious side effects can occur; therefore, various therapeutic modalities have been developed, including acupuncture. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of acupuncture and antidepressant with that of sham acupuncture and antidepressant in patients with major depressive disorder assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17). A single-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted in 48 patients with major depressive disorder allocated to the intervention (acupuncture and antidepressant) and control (sham acupuncture and antidepressant) groups. The mean HAMD-17 scores in the intervention group before and after treatment were 22.2 ± 3.38 and 7.3 ± 2.64, respectively, whereas those in the control group before and after treatment were 21.4 ± 3.10 and 9.3 ± 3.33, respectively. A significant decrease in the mean HAMD-17 scores was observed between the intervention and control groups before and after 12 therapy sessions (14.9 ± 2.45 to 12.2 ± 4.30; p < 0.005). Thus, acupuncture and antidepressant was more effective in reducing the symptoms of major depressive disorder than was sham acupuncture and antidepressant.