Comparing Acupuncture With Medication to Reduce Anxiety and Depression in China

Summary

The main objective of this study is to compare medication (usual care) with acupuncture (as a standalone comparator) to identify the most (cost)effective and environmentally sustainable intervention to reduce anxiety and mild to moderate depression in adults in China.

Conditions

• Anxiety Depression

Interventions

DRUG

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)

This pharmacological intervention (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)) will be compared to acupuncture (for which no drugs will be involved). Treatment options for medication will be determined by the medical team, the usual care recommended for patients diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Treatment is expected to last 1 month per patient. Expected treatment plan: Administer Toludesvenlafaxine (40-80 mg daily) or imported Sertraline (50-200 mg daily), supplemented with Lorazepam (0.4-0.8 mg) or Alprazolam (0.4-0.8 mg) as needed for sleep support.

OTHER

Acupuncture

Manual acupuncture (no sham) will be compared to medication. Bilateral Baihui (GV20), Yintang (GV29), Shenmen (HT7), Taichong (LR3), Neiguan (PC6), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Zusanli (ST36). Procedure: 1. Positioning: The patient lies in a supine position. 2. Needles: Disposable sterile acupuncture needles (specification: 0.25 mm × 40 mm, brand: Wuxi Jiajian) are used. 3. Sterilization: Strict disinfection is performed before needle insertion. 4. Needling Technique: After insertion, lifting-thrusting and twisting techniques are applied to achieve deqi\* (needling sensation). 5. Retention Time: Needles are retained for 20 minutes. 6. Treatment Schedule: * Sessions per week: 3 times. * Course duration: 9-10 sessions per treatment course. Detailed Needling Methods for Each Acupoint Acupoint Location Needling Insertion Technique and Depth Baihui (GV20) On the head, 5 cun\* directly above the midpoint of the anterior hairline. Horizontal insertion to a depth of 0.5-0.8 c

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

  collaborator OTHER

• Kunshan Mental Health Center

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• National Natural Science Foundation of China

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Duke Kunshan University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Claudia Nisa · Duke Kunshan University

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-04-01

Primary Completion

2027-03-31

Completion

2027-12-31

Countries

• China

Study Locations