Acupuncture for subthreshold depression: a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Subthreshold depression (SD), characterized by depressive symptoms not meeting major depressive disorder (MDD) criteria, poses a significant risk for MDD development. Acupuncture has shown promise for SD, though its efficacy beyond placebo remains unclear. Therefore, we designed this study to evaluate the efficacy of verum acupuncture (VA) compared to sham acupuncture (SA) for SD.

Methods

A randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China, from September 2021 to October 2023. Participants with SD were randomized 1:1 to receive either VA or SA for 8 weeks, with 12-week follow-up. The primary outcome was the change in Hamilton Depression Scale-17 (HAMD-17) scores from baseline to 8 weeks

SUBMITTER: Xian J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12729069 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature