Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies.
| Source | Study design | No. of participants | Intervention group | Treatment duration | Control group | Treatment duration | Depression diagnostic criteria | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song et al., 2007 | CCT | 120 | N=30 Acupuncture + Fluoxetine |
Acupuncture 45min/ Weekday, 6w |
Con1 (n=30): fluoxetine Con2 (n=30): Sham acupuncture + placebo Con3 (n=30): No intervention (health control) |
Con1: daily, 6w Con2: daily, 6w |
DSM-IV | HAMD G protein in platelets Gαs 45 Gαi Gαq |
|
| ||||||||
| Tsang et al, 2013 | RCT | 38 | N=21, Eight Section Broads |
Eight Section Broads 45min/ session, 3 times/w, 12w |
Con (n=17): Newspaper reading | 45min/ session, 3 times/w, 12w | DSM-IV | GDS HRSD 5-HT Cortisol (salivary) |
|
| ||||||||
| Lian et al, 2017 | CCT | 96 | N=48 Acupuncture + Chinese herbs |
Acupuncture: 4-5 times/w + Chinese herbs daily, 6w | Con (n=48): Western medicine | daily, 6w | CCMD-3 | HAMD 5-HT |
|
| ||||||||
| Lavretsky et al, 2011 | RCT | 73 | N=36 Tai chi + Escitalopram |
Tai chi 2hrs/weekly + 10mg/daily, intensity gradually increased, 10w | Con (n=37): Health education + Escitalopram |
2 hrs/weekly + 10mg/daily, intensity gradually increased, 10w | DSM-IV | HRSD CRP |
|
| ||||||||
| Chan et al, 2013 | RCT | 50 | N=17 DMBI+ medication, |
DMBI 90min/session, weekly, 10 sessions |
Con1 (n=17): CBT+ medication, Con2(n=16): Medication |
Con1: 90min/session, weekly, 10 sessions Con2: daily |
DSM-IV | PDS via BDI-II EEG (frontal α asymmetry) Hemispheric θ coherence (inter/intra) |
|
| ||||||||
| Song et al, 2009 | CCT | 125 | N=31 Electro-acupuncture + placebo capsules |
Acupuncture 45min/session, 3 times/w + 20mg/daily, 6 w |
Con1(n=32): Fluoxetine + sham electro-acupuncture Con2 (n=32): sham electro-acupuncture + placebo capsules Con3 (n=30): No intervention (health control) |
Con1: 20mg/daily +Acupuncture 45min/session, 3 times/w, 6w Con2: Acupuncture 3 times/w + 20mg/daily, 6w |
DSM-IV | HRSD IL-lß TNF-a IFN-λ IL-4 IL-10 |
|
| ||||||||
| Vazquez et al, 2011 | RCT | 42 | N=23 Electro-acupuncture with low frequency (4Hz) |
Acupuncture 30min/session, twice/w, 6 w |
Con (n=19): Sham electro-acupuncture with low frequency (4Hz) Non-therapeutic point |
30min/session, twice/w, 6 w | DSM-IV | CRS SCL-90 Cortisol (salivary) |
|
| ||||||||
| Wang et al, 2016 | RCT | 36 | N=18 Acupuncture + fluoxetine |
Acupuncture 20min/session for first 3 days, 3 days/session for the rest of 8w, +20mg/daily, 8 w |
Con (n=18): Sham acupuncture + fluoxetine The same acupoints (no needle inserted) |
20min/session for first 3 days, 3 days/session for the rest of 8 weeks, +20mg/daily, 8w | ICD-10 | MADRS SDS fMRI rsFC |
|
| ||||||||
| Wang et al, 2017 | RCT | 36 | N=18 Acupuncture + fluoxetine |
Acupuncture 20min/session for first 3 days, 3 days/session for the rest of 8w, +20mg/daily, 8 w | Con (n=18): Sham acupuncture + fluoxetine The same acupoints (no needle inserted) |
20min/session for first 3 days, 3 days/session for the rest of 8w, +20mg/daily, 8w | ICD-10 | MADRS SDS fMRI rsFC |
|
| ||||||||
| Liu et al, 2015 | RCT | 120 | N=60 Acupuncture + medication |
Acupuncture 30min/session, alternate day, + 20-50mg, 1-2 times/daily, intensity gradually increased, 6w | Con (n=60): Medication |
20-50mg, 1-2 times/daily, intensity gradually increased, 6w | ICD-10 | MADRS 5-HT IL-lß IL -6 IL-4 IL-10 |
|
| ||||||||
| Zhu et al, 2018 | RCT | 65 | N=33 Acupuncture + SSRIs |
Acupuncture 30min/session, 5 times/w + daily SSRIs, 6w | Con (n=32): Western medicine |
daily, 6w | CCMD-3 | HAMD HRV SDNN HF LF |
|
| ||||||||
| Zhu et al, 2017 | RCT | 61 | N=30 Acupuncture +SSRIs |
Acupuncture 30min/session, 5 times/w + daily SSRIs, 6w | Con (n=31): Western medicine |
daily, 6w | CCMD-3 | HAMD IL-6 TNF-α |
Abbreviations. Con: control group; SSRI: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; HAMD: Hamilton depression rating scale; GDS: geriatric depression scale; HRSD: Hamilton rating scale for depression; DSM-IV: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th version; CCMD: Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders; ICD-10: the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision; CRP: C reactive protein; 5-HT: serotonin; MADRS: Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale; SDS: self-rating depression scale; IL: interleukin; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-α; IFN-λ: interferon-λ; rsFC: resting-state functional connectivity; fMRI: functional magnetic resonance imaging; DMBI: Dejian mind-body intervention; CBT: cognitive behavioral therapy; PDS: percentage of subjects reducing depressive syndrome; CRS: the Carroll rating scale; SCL-90: psychiatric symptom checklist; HRV: heart rate variability; SDNN: standard deviation of normal to normal R-R intervals; HF: high frequency; LF: low frequency.