1. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for post-traumatic stress disorder: Assessor-blinded, randomized controlled study.
- Author
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Feng B, Zhang Y, Luo LY, Wu JY, Yang SJ, Zhang N, Tan QR, Wang HN, Ge N, Ning F, Zheng ZL, Zhu RM, Qian MC, Chen ZY, and Zhang ZJ
- Subjects
- Adult, Combined Modality Therapy, Depression drug therapy, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors administration & dosage, Sertraline administration & dosage, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic drug therapy, Acupuncture Points, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy methods, Depression therapy, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors pharmacology, Sertraline pharmacology, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic therapy, Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation methods
- Abstract
Aim: Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) has the potential to alleviate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to determine whether adding TEAS to sertraline or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) could improve the anti-PTSD efficacy., Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 240 PTSD patients (60 in each group) were assigned to receive simulated TEAS combined with sertraline (group A) or with CBT (group B), active TEAS combined with CBT (group C), or active TEAS combined with CBT plus sertraline (group D) for 12 weeks. The outcomes were measured using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, PTSD Check List-Civilian Version, and 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression., Results: While PTSD symptoms reduced over time in all patients, groups C and D had markedly greater improvement in both PTSD and depressive measures than groups A and B in all post-baseline measurement points, with moderate to very large effect sizes of 0.484-2.244. Groups C and D also had a significantly higher rate than groups A and B on clinical response (85.0% and 95.0% vs 63.3% and 60.0%, P < 0.001) and on remission (15.0% and 25.0% vs 3.3% and 1.7%, P < 0.001). The incidence of adverse events was similar between groups A and D and between groups B and C., Conclusions: Additional TEAS augments the anti-PTSD and antidepressant efficacy of antidepressants or CBT, without increasing the incidence of adverse effects. TEAS could serve as an effective intervention for PTSD and comorbid depression. This trial was registered with www.chictr.org (no.: ChiCTR1800017255)., (© 2018 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2018 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.)
- Published
- 2019
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