Commentary on the Cochrane Review of acupuncture for depression.

C R I a h p a m m b c c Background: There is interest from the community in the use of self-help and complementary therapies for depression. This review examined the currently available evidence supporting the use of acupuncture to treat depression. Objectives: To examine the effectiveness and adverse effects of acupuncture in the treatment for depression. Search Strategy: The following databases were searched: CCDAN-CTR, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE (1966 to Dec 2008), EMBASE (1980 to Dec 2008), PSYCINFO (1874 to Dec 2008), the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE), CINAHL (1980 to Dec 2008), Wan Fang database (to Dec 2008). The following terms were used: depression, depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder and acupuncture. Selection Criteria: Inclusion criteria included all published and unpublished randomized controlled trials comparing acupuncture with sham acupuncture, no treatment, pharmacological treatment, other structured psychotherapies (cognitive behavioral therapy, psychotherapy or counseling), or standard care. The follow-