Electroacupuncture Combined With Antidepressants for Post-stroke Depression
Depression, Stroke
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Depression focused on measuring Acupuncture, Post Stroke Depression, Depressive Disorder, Cardiovascular Accident, Stroke, Apoplexy, CVA
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- most recently experience an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, documented by cerebral computed topographic scanning or magnetic resonance imaging
- develop significant depression, with a HAMD-17 score of 16 or greater
Exclusion Criteria:
- presence of severe aphasia, especially fluent aphasia
- presence of severe cognitive dysfunction, indicated the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) score of < 18
- had a history of psychiatric illness other than depression
- presence of another chronic disorder, including severe Parkinson's disease, cardiac disease, cancers, epilepsy, or chronic alcoholism
- impaired hepatic or renal function
- have bleeding tendency
Sites / Locations
- Tung Wah Hospital - Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Medicine
- Kowloon Hospital - Department of Psychiatry
- Kowloon Hospital - Department of Rehabilitation
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Placebo Comparator
DCEAS
n-CEA
Body electroacupuncture plus dense cranial electroacupuncture stimulation (DCEAS) For those who were currently under antidepressant treatment, they would continue the existing treatment regimens. For those who were not medicated at the time of trial, fluoxetine (FLX) was given at an initiate dose of 10 mg/day and escalated to an optimal dose within one week, based on individual response, but the maximum dose was set at 40 mg/day.
Body electroacupuncture plus non-invasive cranial electroacupuncture (n-CEA) For those who were currently under antidepressant treatment, they would continue the existing treatment regimens. For those who were not medicated at the time of trial, fluoxetine (FLX) was given at an initiate dose of 10 mg/day and escalated to an optimal dose within one week, based on individual response, but the maximum dose was set at 40 mg/day.