The use of acupuncture in the management of perimenopausal depression is safe, effective, and offers long-lasting benefits relative to antidepressants and HRT.
Here, we report a meta-analysis of 16 RCTs that together, comprising 1311 participants. Our analysis of both the effective rate and HAMD score revealed that acupuncture achieved better outcomes in the management of perimenopausal depression-relative antidepressants and HRT. Additionally, follow-up analysis indicates that the benefits of acupuncture against perimenopausal depression last longer those of antidepressants. However, measurements of the levels of estrogenic hormones did not reveal statistically significant differences in those treated by acupuncture relative to pharmacologic antidepressants. Further research is therefore warranted to establish whether the observed acupunctural benefits are associated with changes in the levels of estrogen.
Our meta-analysis suggests that, in the management of perimenopausal depression, acupuncture is relatively safer than pharmacological agents. The main adverse effects following acupuncture include subcutaneous bleeding and pain following the piercing. These side effects can be reduced by choosing different acupoints. Additionally, patients with fear of needles experience needle sickness, which is characterized by anxiety, dizziness, palpitations, and sweating. These side effects are temporary and can be reduced by training acupuncturists to psychologically prepare patients prior to starting the procedure. On the contrary, negative side effects of antidepressants are related to the respective drugs’ mechanisms of action and most cannot be avoidable. It should, however, be noted that the risks associated with acupuncture could not be assessed with confidence as many of the RCTs in our study did not adequately report adverse effects of their interventions.
