Table 3.
Comparison of TNF-α levels among the three groups prior and post treatment (pg/ml)
| Group | Prior treatment | At 2 weeks of treatment | At 4 weeks of treatment | 2 weeks post treatment | Ftime | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control (n=30) | 192.96±23.72 | 166.26±23.41 | 145.25±22.83 | 135.81±19.47 | 38.350 | < 0.001 |
| rTMS (n=31) | 188.40±20.49 | 151.35±24.99* | 136.14±22.86 | 128.87±20.21 | 44.140 | < 0.001 |
| rTMS + acupuncture (n=31) | 189.99±30.48 | 136.78±21.51*,# | 96.98±19.04*,# | 90.27±17.36*,# | 126.800 | < 0.001 |
| Fgroup | 0.255 | 12.150 | 44.659 | 50.969 | ||
| P | 0.776 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 |
*
P < 0.05, indicating comparison with control group;
#
P < 0.05, indicating comparison with rTMS group.
TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α; rTMS: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.