Acupuncture and moxibustion for the elderly patients with depression: A randomized controlled trial

Objective: To identify the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy by soothing liver and regulating mind on the quality of life among the elders with depression. Methods: This was a single-blind, randomized, controlled trial of 75 elders with depression conducted in Guangdong Province, China, in January to December 2010. Eligible patients were randomly divided into three treatment groups. 22 patients received acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of soothing liver and regulating mind [group A, in acupuncture procedure: Hégǔ (合谷 LI4), Tàichōng (太冲 LR3), Bǎihuì (百会 GV20) and Yìntáng (印堂 GV29) were selected, in moxibustion procedure, bilateral Géshū(膈俞 BL17) and Dǎnshū (胆俞 BL19) were selected, the moxibustion cones was placed on the acupoints, five cones were given to each point. In intradermal needling procedure, Xīnshū(心俞 BL15), and Gānshū (肝俞 BL18) were selected]. 28 patients received acupoint shallow puncturing treatment (group B, patients received the same acupoints as in the group A, with a 2–3 mm needling depth and no needle sensation was required. A shorter duration of moxibustion and only 1–2 mm of needle body was inserted into the points when intradermal needling). 25 patients received non-acupoint shallow puncturing treatment (group C, patients received non-acupoint shallow puncturing at points 10 mm lateral to LI4 and LR3, 10 mm left side of GV20 and GV29 in acupuncture procedure; 10 mm lateral to BL17 and BL19 in moxibustion procedure; 10 mm lateral to BL15 and BL18 in intradermal needling procedure, with the same manipulation method as that in the group B). In all three groups, the treatment was given twice a week for 12 weeks. The Short Form (36) Health Survey(SF36) and TCM Symptom Scale Score as clinical efficacy and quality of life were used to quantitatively assess patients' outcomes before and after treatment. Results: The TCM Symptom Scale scores showed significant differences between the group A and C, and between group B and C (both P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between group A and B (P > 0.05). An item-by-item analysis of the SF36 showed the elders in group A obtained the highest scores at each time point after treatment (all P < 0.05). Among the results, mental health and report health transition items showed no significant differences between the group A and group B at time point of after treatment (all P > 0.05). Vitality and social functioning items at a month after treatment time point, social functioning and report health transition items at 3 months after treatment time point, role emotional item at after treatment time point showed no significant differences between the group B and group C (all P > 0.05). Conclusions: The therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion by soothing liver and regulating mind can obviously improve the quality of life of depression elders.