Acupuncture and Escitalopram for Treating Major Depression Clinical Study

NCT ID: NCT05901571

Last Updated: 2023-06-13

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

216 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-09-30

Study Completion Date

2027-02-28

Brief Summary

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We will be able to investigate in a sample of patients free of antidepressants whether acupuncture is more effective than placebo.

Detailed Description

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This is a multicenter, randomized, controlled, 2 by 2 factorial clinical trial for Major depression.

Conditions

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Depressive Disorder, Major

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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sham-acupuncture/placebo-pill

sham-acupuncture protocol plus escitalopram placebo

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

sham-acupuncure

Intervention Type OTHER

In the sham acupuncture group, superficial skin penetration (2 to 3 mm in depth) at nonacupoints will be done without De Qi manipulations. Nonacupoints are away from conventional acupoints or meridians. The choice of sham acupuncture points, which are points located in an emplacement different than the meridian points. The sham acupoints are not standard acupoints and will be about 1cun ( ≈20 mm) lateral from the real acupoints in the experimental group.

escitalopram placebo

Intervention Type OTHER

Patients will receive 10 mg/day of escitalopram placebo for the first 3 weeks and 20mg/day for the remaining 7 weeks.

sham-acupuncture/escitalopram

sham-acupuncture protocol plus escitalopram

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

escitalopram

Intervention Type OTHER

Patients will receive 10 mg/day of escitalopram for the first 3 weeks and 20mg/day for the remaining 7 weeks.

sham-acupuncure

Intervention Type OTHER

In the sham acupuncture group, superficial skin penetration (2 to 3 mm in depth) at nonacupoints will be done without De Qi manipulations. Nonacupoints are away from conventional acupoints or meridians. The choice of sham acupuncture points, which are points located in an emplacement different than the meridian points. The sham acupoints are not standard acupoints and will be about 1cun ( ≈20 mm) lateral from the real acupoints in the experimental group.

active acupuncture/placebo-pill

acupuncture protocol plus escitalopram placebo

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

acupuncture

Intervention Type OTHER

The acupuncture group will receive treatment with needles inserted at the specified acupoints. Selected by acupuncture experts, these acupoints include SP4 (Gongsun) , PC6 (Neiguan) , PC5 (Jianshi) and LV 3 (Taichong) bilaterally. All acupoints are localized according to the WHO Standard Acupuncture Locations.After needle insertion, the acupuncture needles will be manipulated using either the twirling-rotating or lifting-thrusting methods to achieve the "De Qi" sensation.

escitalopram placebo

Intervention Type OTHER

Patients will receive 10 mg/day of escitalopram placebo for the first 3 weeks and 20mg/day for the remaining 7 weeks.

active acupuncture/escitalopram

acupuncture protocol plus escitalopram

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

acupuncture

Intervention Type OTHER

The acupuncture group will receive treatment with needles inserted at the specified acupoints. Selected by acupuncture experts, these acupoints include SP4 (Gongsun) , PC6 (Neiguan) , PC5 (Jianshi) and LV 3 (Taichong) bilaterally. All acupoints are localized according to the WHO Standard Acupuncture Locations.After needle insertion, the acupuncture needles will be manipulated using either the twirling-rotating or lifting-thrusting methods to achieve the "De Qi" sensation.

escitalopram

Intervention Type OTHER

Patients will receive 10 mg/day of escitalopram for the first 3 weeks and 20mg/day for the remaining 7 weeks.

Interventions

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acupuncture

The acupuncture group will receive treatment with needles inserted at the specified acupoints. Selected by acupuncture experts, these acupoints include SP4 (Gongsun) , PC6 (Neiguan) , PC5 (Jianshi) and LV 3 (Taichong) bilaterally. All acupoints are localized according to the WHO Standard Acupuncture Locations.After needle insertion, the acupuncture needles will be manipulated using either the twirling-rotating or lifting-thrusting methods to achieve the "De Qi" sensation.

Intervention Type OTHER

escitalopram

Patients will receive 10 mg/day of escitalopram for the first 3 weeks and 20mg/day for the remaining 7 weeks.

Intervention Type OTHER

sham-acupuncure

In the sham acupuncture group, superficial skin penetration (2 to 3 mm in depth) at nonacupoints will be done without De Qi manipulations. Nonacupoints are away from conventional acupoints or meridians. The choice of sham acupuncture points, which are points located in an emplacement different than the meridian points. The sham acupoints are not standard acupoints and will be about 1cun ( ≈20 mm) lateral from the real acupoints in the experimental group.

Intervention Type OTHER

escitalopram placebo

Patients will receive 10 mg/day of escitalopram placebo for the first 3 weeks and 20mg/day for the remaining 7 weeks.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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active acupuncture

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Between 18 and 75 years of age with no gender-based restriction.
2. Fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of DSM-5 for major depressive disorder.
3. A Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS-17) score ≥ 17
4. Ability to read and understand Mandarin Chinese, at least nine years of education, and willingness to adhere to the study protocol.
5. The absence of acupuncture treatment within at least 1 year.
6. Willingness to participate in the trial and provide written informed consent for the clinical trial.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Lifetime or current neuropsychiatric conditions, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance dependence or abuse, dementia, brain injury, epilepsy and so forth.
2. High suicide risk or presenting with suicidal ideation (a score of more than 2 points on the Suicide question of the HDRS-17) at the time of entry.
3. Medicated with antidepressant at the start of the trial or history of treatment failure to escitalopram.
4. Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
5. Subjects who have acute inflammation at the planned acupuncture site on the body or any other contraindication to acupuncture.
6. Candidates afraid of needles in general and reluctant to receive acupuncture in particular
7. Known or suspected clinically unstable systemic medical disorder (including cancer, organ failure, or severe diseases of the cardiovascular, severe hepatic or renal insufficiency).
8. Previous participation in other acupuncture trials.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

75 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Shanghai 7th People's Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Zhenxiang Han, Dr

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Shanghai Seventh People's Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM

Locations

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Jianhua Chen

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China

Site Status

Zhenxiang Han

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China

Site Status

Zouqing Huang

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China

Site Status

Countries

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China

Central Contacts

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Zhenxiang Han, Dr.

Role: CONTACT

+8617701767768

Facility Contacts

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Jianhua Chen, Dr

Role: primary

+86 216487250

Zhenxiang Han

Role: primary

8572779808

Zouqing Huang, Dr

Role: primary

+86 21 58909293

References

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Yang K, Tiwari S, Liu D, Xu Q, Qi L, Zhu Y, Jiang L, Zouqin H, Wong J, Chen J, Han Z. Acupuncture and Escitalopram for Treating Major Depression Clinical Study (AE-TMDCS): protocol for a factorial randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2024 Sep 10;14(9):e091214. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-091214.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 39260834 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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21Y11921000

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

21ZR1449300

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

PWRl2021-05

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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