Abstract
Background : Poststroke depression can lead to functional dependence, cognitive impairment and reduced quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a percutaneous mastoid electrical stimulator (PMES) plus antidepressants on poststroke depression and cognitive function. Methods: This study was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, and sham-controlled study . A total of 258 clinically depressed ischaemic stroke patients within 14 days of index stroke were randomly assigned to the PMES plus antidepressant (PMES group, N=125) and sham plus antidepressant (sham group, N=133) groups. All patients underwent the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) test at 2 weeks (baseline), and 6 months(M6) after ischaemic stroke. Primary outcomes were the percentage of patients showing a treatment response (≥50% reduction in HRSD score) and depression remission (HRSD score≤9) at 6 months. The secondary outcome was the percentage of patients with a MoCA score <26 . Results: The percentages of patients showing a treatment response and depression remission were significantly higher in the PMES group than in the sham group (57.60% vs 41.35%, P=0.009; 44.00% vs 29.32%, P=0.014 respectively). The mean value of the HRSD score change [M(month)6-baseline] was significantly higher in the PMES group than in the sham group at 6 months (-11.93 ±5.32 vs -10.48 ± 6.10, P = 0.036, respectively). The percentage of patients with MoCA scores <26 was lower in the PEMS group than in the sham group(12.0% vs 24.06%, P=0.012,respectively), and the mean value of the MoCA score change (M6-baseline) was higher in the PMES group than in the sham group (3.50±2.55 vs 2.72±2.52, P=0.005,respectively). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that PMES adjunctive to antidepressant therapy is effective in reducing depression, achieving remission in the short term, and improving cognition. Trial registration: This trial was retrospectively registered (registration number: ChiCTR1800016463) on 03 June 2018
Implantable cathodic voltage controlled electrical stimulator