The effects of "Tongdu Zhiyu" acupuncture on the scores of the Hamilton Depression Scale in patients with post-stroke depression

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of "Tongdu Zhiyu" acupuncture therapy in patients with post-stroke depression (PSD) and its impact on scores of various factors and items of 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17).

Methods The data of PSD hospitalized patients or treated in outpatient department in the Sixth Department of Brain Disease of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The patients were treated with "Tongdu Zhiyu" acupuncture therapy, and the changes in total score, item scores, and factor scores of HAMD-17 before and after treatment were compared.

Results A total of 122 patients were included in this study. The treatment was effective with no adverse reactions. After treatment, there were no significant differences in the scores of interest and work, gastrointestinal symptoms, sexual symptoms, and weight loss compared with those before treatment (P > 0.05). However, there were significant differences in the scores of other items in HAMD-17 compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05). After treatment, except for factor 2 (weight factor), the scores of all other factors in HAMD-17 were lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05).

Conclusion "Tongdu Zhiyu" acupuncture therapy can significantly improve the symptoms of anxiety and somatization, sleep disorder, cognitive impairment, and retardation in PSD patients, which is a safe and effective treatment method.