TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Acupuncture for subthreshold depression: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
JO  - Frontiers in psychiatry
A1  - Xian, Jin
A1  - Wang, Ling
A1  - Sun, Mi
A1  - Wang, Xue
A1  - Zang, Xiao-Ming
A1  - Yu, Hui-Juan
A1  - Zhang, Xin
A1  - Cheng, Bin
A1  - Tan, Qi-Wen
SP  - e772360
EP  - e772360
VL  - 12
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: Subthreshold depression refers to a state of mental sub-health that has depressive symptoms but does not meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder. It is a strong risk factor for depression and is related to an increase in suicide and mortality. Studies suggest that acupuncture may be effective in the treatment of subthreshold depression, but no evidence has proven that the efficacy of acupuncture for subthreshold depression is a specific therapeutic effect or a placebo effect. <br><br>METHODS: This will be a prospective, randomized, controlled, and double-blind study of 64 patients with subthreshold depression. They will be randomly assigned as verum or minimal acupuncture group members. Patients in the verum acupuncture group will receive acupuncture at the acupoints, and those in the minimal acupuncture group will receive minimal acupuncture at non-acupoints. The interventions will be delivered over an 8-week period. The primary outcome measure will be the Hamilton Depression Scale-17 (HAMD-17). The secondary outcome measures will be the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and SF-12v2 Health Survey. The assessments will occur at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and during a follow-up period. <br><br>DISCUSSION: The protocol uses a randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of acupuncture for subthreshold depression and to further study the mechanisms of its effect.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1664-0640
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.772360
ID  - ref1
ER  -