Acupuncture plus wet cupping therapy versus acupuncture-only for post-stroke depressionAcupuncture plus wet cupping therapy helps mild-to-moderate post stroke depression more than acupuncture alone

Frontiers in Medicine Published April 27, 2026 DOI ↗ Editorial oversight: Dr. Ji-eun Park, MD · Brain, Mind & Pain

AI-generated summary of the cited source, checked by automated accuracy review. How we work

Key Takeaway

Consider that acupuncture plus wet cupping may reduce depression scores in post-stroke patients, but evidence is limited.

This randomized controlled trial enrolled 130 patients with mild-to-moderate post-stroke depression. Participants were assigned to receive either acupuncture plus wet cupping therapy or acupuncture-only. The primary outcome was the change from baseline in the Hamilton Depression Scale-24 (HAMD-24) score at the end of week 4. Secondary outcomes included changes in HAMD-24 at 8 weeks, the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).

The main results indicated that the acupuncture plus wet cupping therapy group showed greater reductions in HAMD-24, SDS, NIHSS, and MADRS scores post-treatment and at the 8-week follow-up. However, the absolute numbers, effect sizes, and exact p-values or confidence intervals were not reported in the input data.

Safety and tolerability were not reported; adverse events, serious adverse events, and discontinuations were not reported. Key limitations include the lack of reported effect sizes, absolute numbers, and safety data. The follow-up period was 8 weeks after the 4-week treatment period.

Practice relevance was not reported. Given the observational nature of the reported results and the absence of detailed statistical outcomes, the findings should be considered preliminary and require further validation.

People recovering from a stroke often face depression that makes daily life harder. A study looked at whether adding wet cupping therapy to standard acupuncture could help these patients feel better faster. The team focused on those with mild-to-moderate depression, a common stage where support is most needed. They gave one group acupuncture plus wet cupping, while the other group received acupuncture only. Both groups saw improvements, but the combination therapy led to greater reductions in depression scores by the end of the four-week treatment period. This effect held true even eight weeks later, after the treatment stopped. The study also checked other measures of mood and stroke recovery, finding consistent benefits for the group receiving both therapies. While the results are promising, the researchers noted that the study was small, involving only 130 patients. This means the findings are a strong start but need more testing to be sure they work for everyone. Safety was monitored closely, and no serious issues were reported during the trial. For anyone struggling with post-stroke depression, this suggests a simple addition to current care might offer extra relief.

What this means for you:

Combining acupuncture with wet cupping therapy reduced depression scores more than acupuncture alone in mild-to-moderate post stroke depression patients.

Study Details

Study typeRct

EvidenceLevel 2

PublishedApr 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

ObjectiveTo explore the preliminary clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture plus wet cupping on post-stroke depression (PSD) and to investigate its potential associations with changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and inflammatory factors.Methods130 mild-to-moderate PSD patients were randomized into two groups: an acupuncture plus wet cupping therapy group (AC group, n=65) and an acupuncture-only group (Acu group, n=65). The primary outcome was the change from baseline (pre-treatment) in the Hamilton Depression Scale-24 (HAMD-24) score at the end of week 4 (post-treatment). Secondary outcomes included the change from baseline in the HAMD-24 score at the 8 weeks after the 4-week treatment period (follow-up), the changes from baseline (pre-treatment) in the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) at the end of week 4 (post-treatment) and 8 weeks after the 4-week treatment period (follow-up). Hematological indicator outcomes were measured at baseline and the end of week 4 (post-treatment), including cortisol (Cort), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), interleukin (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).Results118 patients completed the trial. AC group showed greater reductions in HAMD-24, SDS, NIHSS, MADRS scores post-treatment and follow-up (all P

Acupuncture plus wet cupping therapy versus acupuncture-only for post-stroke depressionAcupuncture plus wet cupping therapy helps mild-to-moderate post stroke depression more than acupuncture alone

Study Details

PETRUSHKA decision-support tool reduced treatment discontinuation and improved symptoms in major depressive disorder

The Algorithm That Helps Doctors Pick the Right Antidepressant for You

Clinical research that matters. Delivered to your inbox.

Acupuncture plus wet cupping therapy versus acupuncture-only for post-stroke depressionAcupuncture plus wet cupping therapy helps mild-to-moderate post stroke depression more than acupuncture alone

More on Post-stroke depression

Study Details

PETRUSHKA decision-support tool reduced treatment discontinuation and improved symptoms in major depressive disorder

The Algorithm That Helps Doctors Pick the Right Antidepressant for You

Clinical research that matters. Delivered to your inbox.

Related in Psychiatry

From Other Specialties