Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) in combination with small dose of clozapine on clinical symptoms of refractory schizophrenia patients so as to evaluate its validity and security.Methods Eighty schizophrenia patients were randomized into medication group and EA+medication group(n=40/group).Patients of medication group were treated with conventional oral administration of clozapine(50-100 mg/d to 200-500 mg/d

for 8 weeks) and those of EA+ medication group treated by EA of Baihui(GV 20) and bilateral Taiyang(EX-HN 5) and oral administration of clozapine(50 mg/d to 100-150 mg/d).EA was given to the patients

3 times a week for 8 weeks.Scores of the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale(PANSS) and the Untoward Effect Symptom Scale(TESS) were used to assess the therapeutic effect.Results Following treatment

PANSS scores for positive symptoms and the common psychiatric symptoms of the medication and EA+medication groups all decreased evidently from the 2rd week on(P<0.05

P<0.01)

and those of the negative symptoms reduced obviously from the 4th week on(P<0.05).Comparison between two groups showed no significant differences in PANSS scores for positive and negative symptoms and the common psychiatric symptoms after the treatment(P>0.05).But TESS score of EA+medication group was evidently lower than that of medication group(P<0.01)

suggesting an apparently fewer untoward effects in EA+medication group.Of the two 40 cases in medication and EA+medication groups

6(15%) and 5(12.5%) were cured

8 and 8(20%) experienced marked improvement in their symptoms

17(42.5%) and 16(40%) had an improvement

9(22.5%) and 11(27.5%) failed

with the effective rates being 77.5% and 72.5% separately.Conclusion Both medication and EA+medication can improve refractory schizophrenia patients'clinical symptoms

but the later has fewer untoward effects.