Can electroacupuncture improve symptoms of mild to moderate postnatal depression?
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN49447857 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN49447857 |
| ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT) | Nil known |
| Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) | Nil known |
| Protocol serial number | None |
| Sponsor | China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences |
| Funder | Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China |
- Submission date
- 28/04/2019
- Registration date
- 23/05/2019
- Last edited
- 15/03/2023
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Postpartum (postnatal) depression can start in parents before or after the birth of a baby. It is a serious problem because it can affect bonding between the parents and baby and childcare routines. If a mother is breastfeeding, it might not be safe to take antidepressant tablets, because breast milk can contain some of the drug. There is a new drug called Zulresso that is taken through a vein using a drip. It is safe to use during breastfeeding but is expensive.
Electroacupuncture involves very fine needles being inserted into the skin at certain points and electric current being passed through them. Electroacupuncture is cheap and does not affect breastfeeding. This study aims to investigate whether electroacupuncture can help with postpartum depression symptoms.
Who can participate?
Women who have postpartum depression within one year of their baby's birth.
What does the study involve?
Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two groups. They will not know which group they are in. Both groups will receive supportive psychotherapy. One group will receive electroacupuncture twice a week for 6 weeks. The other group will have sham electroacupuncture, where the needles are not put in the correct places and the current is not turned on.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Both groups will receive treatment in the form of supportive psychotherapy. There are some potential side effects of electroacupuncture, including bleeding, bruising and pain, but these are generally mild and will stop quickly.
Where is the study run from?
China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (China)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2018 to December 2022.
Who is funding the study?
The Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China
Who is the main contact?
Mrs Hong Zhao, hongzhao2005@aliyun.com
Contact information
Scientific
China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
16 Nanxiaojie
Dongzhimennei
Dongcheng District
Beijing
100700
China
| Phone | 13911132103 |
|---|---|
| hongzhao2005@aliyun.com |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Two-armed single-blind randomized controlled interventional trial |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | The effect of electroacupuncture on mild to moderate postpartum depression: a randomized controlled single-blind study. |
| Study objectives | The morbidity of mild to moderate postpartum depression is increasingly rising. However, the need of lactation prevents the use of regular oral antidepressants. The new antidepressant Zulresso (brexanolone), which has been approved by the FDA for postpartum depression, costs USD 34,000 dollars per treatment course per person. Acupuncture might offer an advantage in mild to moderate postpartum depression because it does not affect breastfeeding. However, the supporting evidence is weak. This trial is designed to provide high-level evidence regarding whether electroacupuncture is effective in relieving the symptoms of mild to moderate postpartum. We hypothesize that the effect of electroacupuncture on mild to moderate postpartum depression will be better than that of sham electroacupuncture. |
| Ethics approval(s) | 1. Approved 26/07/2018, Acupuncture and Moxibustion Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Science (No.16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing; +86 010-64060868; yuxc@acutimes.com), ref: 2018-05-25-3-2 2. Approved 10/09/2018, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University (17 Qihelou St, Dongcheng District, Beijing; +86 010-85968407; fcyylunli@163.com), ref: 2018-KY-053-01 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Postpartum depression |
| Intervention | Eligible patients will be randomly assigned into treatment group or control group using SAS software. Group assignment information will be kept in sealed envelopes. According to their group assignment, patients will receive either electroacupuncture plus supportive psychotherapy or sham electroacupuncture plus supportive psychotherapy. Both groups will receive treatment twice a week for 6 weeks, and the whole treatment course is 12 sessions. The treatment group will receive the electroacupuncture and the selected acupoints are as follows: Ophryon (EX-HN 3), Xinshu (BL 15), Geshu (BL 17), Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23), Hegu (LI 4), Sanyinjiao (Sp 6), Zhongwan (CV 12) and Baihui (GV 20). The control group will receive sham electroacupuncture. The practitioner will needle locations beside the acupoints at superficial layers and use the electroacupuncture device without current output as the sham acupuncture. |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Severity of depression using the first 17 answers on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). The 17-HAMD will be measured by a professional psychiatrist at baseline and weeks 2, 4 and 6 |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
1. Severity of depression using the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) at baseline and weeks 2, 4 and 6 |
| Completion date | 30/12/2022 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Sex | Female |
| Target sample size at registration | 60 |
| Total final enrolment | 60 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Diagnosed with postpartum depression according to The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) by psychiatrists 2. Conceived naturally or artificially 3. Aged 20–50 years 4. Overall score of ≥9 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) 5. Diagnosed with mild to moderate postpartum depression according to the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (17-HAMD) 6. Postpartum depression onset time within 1 year after delivery 7. Can accept electroacupuncture treatment and complete the prescribed course of treatment 8. Agrees to participate in the study willingly and voluntarily and signs the informed consent form |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Brain disease or mental retardation, or have difficulty understanding the contents of questionnaires or are unable to communicate effectively 2. History of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder 3. History of suicide attempts 4. Diagnosed with non-depressive psychosis by psychiatrists 5. Addicted to alcohol or drugs 6. Received antidepressant therapy within the past month 7. Hemorrhagic diseases or infectious diseases or otherwise unable to receive acupuncture therapy |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/10/2018 |
| Date of final enrolment | 30/10/2022 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- China
Study participating centres
Dongzhimennei
Dongcheng District
Beijing
100700
China
Dongcheng District
Beijing
100020
China
Shenzhen
518033
China
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Other |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study during this study will be included in the subsequent results publication. |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
15/03/2023: the intention to publish date was changed from 29/03/2023 to 30/09/2023.
08/12/2022: The intention to publish date was changed from 30/12/2022 to 29/03/2023. Total final enrolment added.
18/08/2022: The intention to publish date was changed from 01/02/2022 to 30/12/2022.
05/10/2021: The following changes have been made:
1. The recruitment end date has been changed from 30/10/2021 to 30/10/2022.
2. The overall trial end date has been changed from 30/12/2021 to 30/12/2022 and the plain English summary has been updated to reflect this change.
09/06/2021: IPD sharing statement added.
07/06/2021: The publication and dissemination plan was updated and the intention to publish date was changed from 30/12/2020 to 01/02/2022.
03/06/2021: The following changes have been made:
1. The recruitment end date has been changed from 01/01/2019 to 30/10/2021.
2. The overall trial end date has been changed from 20/01/2020 to 30/12/2021 and the plain English summary has been updated to reflect this change.
09/05/2019: Trial's existence confirmed by the ethics committee of the Institute of Acupuncture, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences.
