Dense cranial electroacupuncture stimulation for major depressive disorder--a single-blind, randomized, controlled study.

Journal:  2012;7(1):e29651. Epub 2012 Jan 6. Author: Zhang ZJ, Ng R, Man SC, Li TY, Wong W, Tan QR, Wong HK, Chung KF, Wong MT, Tsang WK, Yip KC, Ziea E, Wong VT. Location: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. zhangzj@hku.hk Abstract BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that electroacupuncture possesses therapeutic benefits for depressive disorders. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dense cranial electroacupuncture stimulation (DCEAS) could enhance the antidepressant efficacy in the early phase of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: In this single-blind, randomized, controlled study, patients with MDD were randomly assigned to 9-session DCEAS or noninvasive electroacupuncture (n-EA) control procedure in combination with fluoxetine (FLX) for 3 weeks. Clinical outcomes were measured using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), Clinical Global Impression-severity (CGI-S), and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) as well as the response and remission rates. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients were randomly assigned to n-EA (n = 35) and DCEAS (n = 38), of whom 34 in n-EA and 36 in DCEAS group were analyzed. DCEAS-treated patients displayed a significantly greater reduction from baseline in HAMD-17 scores at Day 3 through Day 21 and in SDS scores at Day 3 and Day 21 compared to patients receiving n-EA. DCEAS intervention also produced a higher rate of clinically significant response compared to n-EA procedure (19.4% (7/36) vs. 8.8% (3/34)). The incidence of adverse events was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: DCEAS is a safe and effective intervention that augments the antidepressant efficacy. It can be considered as an additional therapy in the early phase of SSRI treatment of depressed patients. PMID: 22238631 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Free article in pubmed 

Considerations for Use of Acupuncture as Supplemental Therapy for Patients with Allergic Asthma.

Journal: Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2012 Jun 3. [Epub ahead of print] Author: Yang YQ, Chen HP, Wang Y, Yin LM, Xu YD, Ran J. Location: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 650 South Wanping Road, Shanghai, 200030, China, yyq@shutcm.edu.cn. Abstract This study examines the clinical and immunomodulatory effects of acupuncture in the treatment of patients with allergic asthma. The acupuncture points GV14, BL12, and BL13 were selected based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine in treating asthma. Manual acupuncture was performed once every other day (three times per week) for 5 weeks. The needles were twisted approximately 360° evenly at the rate of 60 times/min for 20 s, manipulated every 10 min and withdrawn after 30 min.  Concentrations of sIgA and total IgA in secretions were determined by the combination of sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation and RIA. Levels of cortisol in the plasma were measured by RIA. Total IgE in the sera was examined by ELISA. Flow cytometry was used to detect the numbers of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and IL-2R + T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood. The absolute and differential numbers of eosinophils in peripheral blood were counted with eosin staining.  The total efficacy of the acupuncture treatment in patients with allergic asthma at the end of one course of treatment was 85 %. After treatment, the concentrations of sIgA and total IgA in the saliva (P < 0.01, P < 0.02) and nasal secretions (P < 0.02, P < 0.02) were significantly decreased in patients with allergic asthma. The levels of total IgE in sera (P < 0.001), the counts of IL-2R + T lymphocytes (P < 0.001), and the absolute and differential numbers of eosinophils (P < 0.01, P < 0.01) in the peripheral blood were also significantly decreased. The numbers of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood were significantly increased in the allergic asthmatics treated by acupuncture (P < 0.001, P < 0.01, and P < 0.001, respectively). The concentration of cortisol in the plasma of asthmatic patients did not change significantly after the acupuncture treatment (P > 0.05).  Acupuncture has regulatory effects on mucosal and cellular immunity in patients with allergic asthma and may be an adjunctive therapy for allergic asthma. PMID: 22661215 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]