Acupuncture for Residual Insomnia Associated With Major Depressive Disorder

This is a randomized single-blinded controlled trial. Patients will be randomly assigned to one of the three groups. One is the traditional acupuncture treatment group, one is the non-traditional acupuncture treatment group and the other is an acupuncture-like placebo treatment. Patients will be put into groups and then compared. The chance of getting into each group is 1:1:1, i.e. equal chance.

Inclusion criteria

• Willing to give informed consent;
• Hong Kong resident;
• Age 18-65 years;
• Previous DSM-IV Major Depressive Disorder as confirmed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV;
• Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores of 18 or below for at screening and baseline visit;
• A chief complaint of insomnia;
• Able to comply with the trial protocol.

Exclusion criteria

• Any symptoms suggestive of specific sleep disorders, including loud snoring, periodic leg movement, parasomnia;
• A diagnosis of sleep apnea or periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) as assessed by overnight polysomnography (PSG);
• Presence of suicidal risk;
• Previous history of schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, and bipolar disorder;
• Pregnant, breast-feeding, or woman of childbearing potential not using adequate contraception;
• Infection or abscess close to the site of selected acupoints and in the investigator's opinion inclusion is unsafe.