| Objective To observe the effect of the enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) combined with drug in the treatment for the patients with depressive episodes, and provide more ideas and methods for the treatment for the treatment of depressive episodes. Methods A total of 66 hospitalized patients who met the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for depressive disorder or bipolar depressive episode in a hospital from May 2019 to March 2020 were enrolled by simple random sampling, and they were divided into two groups according to the random number table method. Study group（n=36）received the enhanced external counterpulsation therapy combined with drug treatment, with an average of 15 times of EECP therapy, while control group（n=30）received conventional drug treatment only. Then the efficacy and social function were assessed using Hamilton Depression Scale-24 item（HAMD-24）and Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Results Post-treatment HAMD-24 and SDS scores in both groups were lower than those before treatment（t=8.149, 5.791, 8.016, 3.488, P＜0.01）. After EECP combined with drug treatment, the HAMD-24 score was lower than the control group, and the difference was not statistically significant (t=-1.556, P> 0.05), while the SDS score of the study group was lower than that of the control group, with statistical significance（t=-3.008, P<0.05）. The total effective rate (using reduction rate of HAMD total scores as evaluation) were more significant in the research group than those in the control group (90.6% vs 63.3%,χ2=8.725，P＜0.05). Conclusions EECP therapy combined with drug can help to improve the the depressed symptoms and social function more effectively compared with drug treatment alone in the patient with depressive disorder. It suggested that EECP could be a new auxiliary physical therapy in patients with depressive episodes. |