Comparison of Different Therapies for the Treatment of Depression in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

This study was designed to compare the different therapies in the treatment of depression in patients with type 2 diabetes and to explore its impact on the level of serum inflammatory factors. A total of 90 type 2 diabetic patients with depression and diagnosed as splenic virtual and phlegm dampness according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory of syndrome differentiation were randomly divided into observation group and control group, 45 cases in each group. Patients in the control group were given basic hypoglycemic therapy plus fluoxetine while those in the observation group received basic hypoglycemic therapy plus acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and patients in the both groups were treated for 8 consecutive weeks. The improvement of main symptoms and the score of Hamilton Depressive Rating Scale (HAMD) were observed in the both groups before and after treatment. The serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were measured by ELISA before and after treatment. Before treatment, there was no significant difference in the HAMD score between the two groups (P > 0.05), while after treatment the HAMD score was decreased in the two groups while the decrease being more significant in the observation group than in the control group at the 4th week and at the 8th week (P < 0.05). At the 4th week and the 8th week, the effective treatment rates in the observation group were 82.2% and 97.8% respectively, higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Before treatment, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the levels of HOMA-IR, FPG and 2h PG (P > 0.05); while at the 8th week, the levels of HOMA-IR, FPG and 2h PG in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Before treatment, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in serum levels of inflammatory factors; IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8 (P > 0.05); while at the 8th week, the serum levels of IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8 in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Acupuncture combined with TCM is effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetic patients with depression. It can effectively improve symptoms and reduce serum inflammatory factors, thus worthy of clinical application.