Effect of Acupuncture plus Psychological Intervention on 5-HT, OFQ and E2in Patients with Postpartum Depression / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus psychological intervention in treating postpartum depression and its effect on 5-hydroxy tryptamine (5-HT), orphanin FQ (OFQ) and estrodiol (E2).MethodTotally 158patients with postpartum depression were randomized into an acupuncture group, a psychological intervention group, and a treatment group, 52 cases in the acupuncture group, and 53 cases respectively in the psychological intervention group and treatment group. The acupuncture group was given acupuncture, the psychological intervention group was given psychological intervention, while the treatment group was given acupuncture plus psychological intervention. After 6-week treatment, the clinical efficacies, the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score, Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) score, Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) score, 5-HT, OFQ, and E2were observed.ResultThe total effective rate was 92.5% in the treatment group, versus 79.2% in the psychological intervention group and 76.9% in the acupuncture group. TheRiditanalysis showed that the therapeutic efficacy of the treatment group was significantly superior to that of the psychological intervention group and acupuncture group (P0.05). After treatment, the HAMD score, SAS score, SDS score, 5-HT, OFQ, and E2levels were significantly different from those in the acupuncture group (P0.05), while there were significant differences in comparing the SAS and SDS scores between the two groups (P<0.01).ConclusionAcupuncture plus psychological intervention can markedly enhance the clinical efficacy in treating postpartum depression, improving HAMD score, decreasing SAS and SDS scores, and regulating the 5-HT, OFQ, and E2levels.