To evaluate the clinical efficacy of different combinations with " Shugan Jianpi" acupuncture and Yintang acupoint magnetic stimulation in the treatment of depression with liver depression and spleen deficiency type.

160 patients with depression treated in hospital from December 2013 to June 2017 were divided into 4 groups according to the random number table, with 40 cases in each group.Group A received basic drug therapy, " Shugan Jianpi" acupuncture combined with Yintang acupoint magnetic stimulation, group B received basic drug therapy combined with Yintang acupoint magnetic stimulation, group C received basic drug therapy combined with " Shugan Jianpi" acupuncture treatment, group D was treated with basic medicine only for 4 weeks.Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) was used to assess the short-term and long-term efficacy for 4 groups before treatment, after 2 weeks of treatment, after 4 weeks and 2 months after treatment and the safety of these 4 types of therapy was evaluated with the side effects scale(TESS). 2 months after the treatment, the quality of life universal scale (SF-36) was evaluated for patients in 4 groups.

After 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 2 months of treatment, HAMD scores in the 4 groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). After 2 weeks of treatment, HAMD score of A group was (15.28±3.45), and HAMD score of B, C, D group were ((18.30±3.57), (22.50±3.71), (27.30±4.82)) respectively.HAMD score of A group was significantly lower than those of B, C, D group (P<0.05). After 4 weeks of treatment, HAMD scores in A, B group were significantly lower than those in C, D group (P<0.05). After 2 months of treatment, HAMD scores in all the 4 groups were further declined compared with those after 4 weeks of treatment (P<0.05), however, there was no significant difference between the four groups (P>0.05). The scores of each dimension of SF-36 in group A were significantly higher than those of group B, C and D (P<0.05), and which in group B and C were significantly higher than those in D group after 2 months of treatment.(P<0.05). There was no statistical difference among the 4 groups in TESS scores (P>0.05).

The results suggest that there is a synergistic effect in combination of the " ShuganJianpi" acupuncture combined with Yintang acupoint magnetic stimulation in the treatment of depression of liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency type, and it can effectively reduce the degree and improve their quality of life in patients with depression.

Acupuncture; Acupoint magnetic stimulation; Depression; Yintang acupoint; Quality of life; Curative effect