NCT01174394

Brief Summary

This is a randomized, assessor-blind, placebo controlled study in post stroke depression patients. Subjects receiving antidepressant drug would be assigned to either active or placebo scalp electro-acupuncture treatment, on the hypothesis that acupuncture intervention combined with antidepressants could produce greater therapeutic effects than antidepressants alone.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
43

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable depression

Timeline
Completed

Started May 2010

Typical duration for not_applicable depression

Geographic Reach
1 country

3 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

May 1, 2010

Completed
3 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

July 29, 2010

Completed
5 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 3, 2010

Completed
2.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

February 1, 2013

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

February 1, 2013

Completed
Last Updated

May 1, 2013

Status Verified

April 1, 2013

Enrollment Period

2.8 years

First QC Date

July 29, 2010

Last Update Submit

April 30, 2013

Conditions

Keywords

AcupuncturePost Stroke DepressionDepressive DisorderCardiovascular AccidentStrokeApoplexyCVA

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • HAMD-17, GDS , BI and CGI

    Depression symptoms are primarily measured using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS); physical outcomes will be measured using Barthel Index (BI); Clinical Global Impression (CGI) would also be measured by clinician. The measurements are carried out at the baseline, first, second and fourth week of treatment course.

    28-day (course of treatment)

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Clinical response, latency and adverse events

    28-day (course of treatment)

Study Arms (2)

DCEAS

EXPERIMENTAL

Body electroacupuncture plus dense cranial electroacupuncture stimulation (DCEAS) For those who were currently under antidepressant treatment, they would continue the existing treatment regimens. For those who were not medicated at the time of trial, fluoxetine (FLX) was given at an initiate dose of 10 mg/day and escalated to an optimal dose within one week, based on individual response, but the maximum dose was set at 40 mg/day.

Procedure: DCEAS (Hwato®/ Dongbang®)Procedure: Body electro-acupuncture (Hwato®/ Dongbang®)Drug: Fluoxetine

n-CEA

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Body electroacupuncture plus non-invasive cranial electroacupuncture (n-CEA) For those who were currently under antidepressant treatment, they would continue the existing treatment regimens. For those who were not medicated at the time of trial, fluoxetine (FLX) was given at an initiate dose of 10 mg/day and escalated to an optimal dose within one week, based on individual response, but the maximum dose was set at 40 mg/day.

Procedure: Body electro-acupuncture (Hwato®/ Dongbang®)Procedure: n-CEA (Strietberger®)Drug: Fluoxetine

Interventions

Upon insertion of acupuncture needles, dense cranial electro-acupuncture stimulation (DCEAS), is directly delivered on a density of cranial acupoints (in general 6-8 pairs) located on the frontal, parietal, and temporal scalp areas.

Also known as: Hwato®, Dongbang®
DCEAS

Both study arms received body electroacupuncture on both sides of ipsilateral limb pairs: Hegu (LI4) and Quchi (LI11) , Zusanli (ST36) and Taichong (LR3). Electrical stimulation as DCEAS is applied.

Also known as: Hwato®, Dongbang®
DCEASn-CEA

Streitberger's non-invasive acupuncture needles were applied to serve as sham control at the same cranial acupoints and the same stimulation modality, except that the needles only adhere to the skin instead of insertion

Also known as: Strietberger®
n-CEA

Subjects of both study arms received orally administered SSRIs for 4 weeks in an open manner. For those who were currently under antidepressant treatment, they would continue the existing treatment regimens. For those who were not medicated at the time of trial, fluoxetine (FLX) was given at an initiate dose of 10 mg/day and escalated to an optimal dose within one week, based on individual response, but the maximum dose was set at 40 mg/day.

Also known as: Prozac, Sarafem, Fontex, Zactin, Lovan, Fluohexal, Auscap, Depreks, Floxet, Flunil, Fluox, Fluzac, Fluxen
DCEASn-CEA

Eligibility Criteria

Age35 Years - 80 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • most recently experience an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, documented by cerebral computed topographic scanning or magnetic resonance imaging
  • develop significant depression, with a HAMD-17 score of 16 or greater

You may not qualify if:

  • presence of severe aphasia, especially fluent aphasia
  • presence of severe cognitive dysfunction, indicated the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) score of \< 18
  • had a history of psychiatric illness other than depression
  • presence of another chronic disorder, including severe Parkinson's disease, cardiac disease, cancers, epilepsy, or chronic alcoholism
  • impaired hepatic or renal function
  • have bleeding tendency

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (3)

Tung Wah Hospital - Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Medicine

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

Kowloon Hospital - Department of Psychiatry

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Location

Kowloon Hospital - Department of Rehabilitation

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Man SC, Hung BH, Ng RM, Yu XC, Cheung H, Fung MP, Li LS, Leung KP, Leung KP, Tsang KW, Ziea E, Wong VT, Zhang ZJ. A pilot controlled trial of a combination of dense cranial electroacupuncture stimulation and body acupuncture for post-stroke depression. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014 Jul 19;14:255. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-255.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

DepressionStrokeDepressive Disorder

Interventions

Fluoxetine

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral SymptomsBehaviorCerebrovascular DisordersBrain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesNervous System DiseasesVascular DiseasesCardiovascular DiseasesMood DisordersMental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

PropylaminesAminesOrganic Chemicals

Study Officials

  • Zhang-Jin Zhang, MMed, PhD

    The University of Hong Kong

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Professor

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

July 29, 2010

First Posted

August 3, 2010

Study Start

May 1, 2010

Primary Completion

February 1, 2013

Study Completion

February 1, 2013

Last Updated

May 1, 2013

Record last verified: 2013-04

Locations