Observation on clinical effect of acupuncture combined with wheat-grain moxibustion for mild to moderate postpartum depression / 中国针灸

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical effect of acupuncture combined with wheat-grain moxibustion and oral sertraline hydrochloride dispersible tablets in the treatment of mild to moderate postpartum depression.@*METHODS@#Sixty patients with mild to moderate postpartum depression were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with psychotherapy. The control group was treated with oral sertraline hydrochloride dispersible tablets, 50 mg each time, once a day; the observation group was treated with acupuncture at Qihai (CV 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Xuehai (SP 10), Hegu (LI 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3), etc. combined with wheat-grain moxibustion at Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20), Ganshu (BL 18) and Shenshu (BL 23), once every other day, 3 times a week. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks as a course, with 2 consecutive courses of treatment. Before and after treatment and follow-up of 3 months after the end of treatment, the Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) and World Health Organization quality of life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) score of the two groups were compared, and the clinical effect was assessed.@*RESULTS@#After treatment and during follow-up, the HAMD and EPDS scores of the two groups were lower than before treatment (@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture combined with wheat-grain moxibustion can improve the depressive symptoms of patients with mild to moderate postpartum depression and improve their quality of life, and the clinical effect is more lasting and stable than oral sertraline hydrochloride dispersible tablets.