Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture of five Shu-points of the Liver Meridian plus bloodletting for depression patients and its effect on hemorheology.Methods Thirty depression outpatients were randomly and equally divided into medication and acupuncture+bloodletting groups.Patients of the medication group were treated with Fluoxetine(20 mg/d

PO.in the morning) and those of the acupuncture+bloodletting group treated by acupuncture of Xingjian(LR 2)

Taichong(LR 3)

Zhongfeng(LR 4) and Ququan(LR 5) first

followed by pricking Dadun(LR 1) to let a little bit of blood out.The treatment was given once every other day

two months altogether.The therapeutic effect was assessed by using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HAMD) and the Clinical Global Impression Scale for Severity of Illness(CGI-SI) before and 1

2

4

6

and 8 weeks after the treatment

respectively.Changes of hemorheology were detected by using a blood rheology detector.Results Of the 15 outpatients in both medication and acupuncture+bloodletting groups

6(40.00%)and 6(40.00%)were cured basically

5(33.34%) and 4(26.67%) experienced marked improvement

2(13.33%)and 3(20.00%)were improved

and 2(13.33%) and 2(13.33%)invalid

respectively.No significant difference was found between the two groups in the therapeutic effect(P>0.05).On the 6th and 8th weeks of the treatment

the CGI-SI score of the acupuncture+bloodletting group was significantly lower than that of the medication group(P<0.05)

suggesting a better therapeutic effect of the acupuncture+bloodletting group.The low and high shear viscosity of whole blood

erythrocyte aggregation index and rigidity index

and fibrinogen levels of the two groups were decreased significantly after the treatment(P<0.05).No significant difference was found between the two groups in the changes of hemorheology indexes following the treatment(P>0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture of the five Shu-points of the Liver Meridian combined with bloodletting is effective in relieving depression symptoms and improving blood rheology in depression patients.