Table 5.

Outcome measures used in trials of acupuncture for depression

Trial (first author, date)	Outcome measures (measures used and when measured)
1. Luo 1985 (China)	Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Clinical Global Impression Chart, Antidepressant side effect rating scale. Participants interviewed by 2 psychiatrists ant beginning and end of trial (5 weeks), and at weekly intervals during the trial
2. Luo 1988 (China)	Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Clinical Global Impression Chart, Asberg Rating Scale for Side‐effects. Grading System for assessment of therapeutic effects commonly used in China (cured, markedly improved, improved, failed/deteriorated). A proportion of participants had urine and plasma tests and EEG tests
3. Xiujuan 1994 (China)	Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression used once a week for 6 weeks. EEG measures used for acupuncture subjects only at baseline, after 1st, 18th and final needling
4. Luo 1998 (China)	Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Clinical Global Impression Chart, Asberg Rating Scale for Side‐effects. Grading System for assessment of therapeutic effects commonly used in China (cured, markedly improved, improved, failed/deteriorated). A proportion of participants had urine and plasma tests and EEG tests in 2nd phase of research
5. Allen 1998 (USA)	Hamilton Rating scale for Depression and Becks Depression Inventory at baseline, 8 and 16 weeks.
6. Roschke 2000 (Germany)	The Global Assessment Scale (Endicott et al. 1976), Bech‐Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale, Clinical Global Impressions Scale (National Institute Mental Health 1976), self report of improvement (von Zerssen et al., 1974), mean dosage of medication. Rated by psychiatrists blind to allocation twice a week for 8 weeks
7. Han 2002	Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, self rating scale for depression (unspecified), self rating scale for anxiety (unspecified) Clinical Global Impression Scale, Asberg Rating Scale for Side‐effects. Baseline, 14, 28, and 42 days after treatment commenced
8. Manber et al. 2004	Main outcome measure was response status at end of acute treatment phase. Response was defined jointly by a) failure to meet full criteria for MDD; b) at east 50% reduction from baseline of HRSD score and c)HRSD score of 14 or less. HRSD administered at baseline, midpoint, end of acute treatment (8 weeks) and 10 weeks postpartum by interviewers masked to treatment assignment MDE portion of SCID administered at same time as HRSD by same interviewers Becks Depression Inventory completed weekly during acute treatment phase. Providers and patient's expectations of efficacy of treatments assessed at first and third treatments
9. Allen et al. 2006	HRSD was main outcome measure, taken at baseline and 4 weekly intervals throughout study period. Administered by assessors blind to allocation. Becks Depression Inventory (BDI) used weekly for 16‐week study duration.