Abstract:Objective:To observe the clinical effect of Houpo Qiwu Decoction combined with Paroxetine on poststroke depression (PSD) of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency type. Methods:A total of 80 PSD patients of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency type who were hospitalized in the Department of Encephalopathy,Maoming Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from March 2022 to September 2023 were selected as the study subjects. They were divided into the treatment group and the control group by the random number table method,with 40 cases in each group. During the study,4 cases dropped out in the treatment group,and 36 cases were finally included. In the control group,2 cases dropped out,and 38 cases were finally included. The treatment group was treated with Houpo Qiwu Decoction combined with Paroxetine, and the control group was treated with Paroxetine only. The course of treatment was one month. The clinical effects,as well as the changes in Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores, traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores and gastrointestinal disease symptom scores before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. Results:After treatment,the total effective rate was 86.11% (31/36) in the treatment group and 65.79% (25/38) in the control group,the difference being significant (P<0.05). After treatment, the HAMD scores in the two groups were decreased when compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the HAMD score in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05);the difference before and after treatment in the treatment group was also greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores in the two groups were decreased when compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05);the difference before and after treatment in the treatment group was also greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment,the gastrointestinal disease symptom scores in the two groups were decreased when compared with those before treatment (P<0.05),and the gastrointestinal disease symptom scores in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05);the difference before and after treatment in the treatment group was also greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion:The therapy of Houpo Qiwu Decoction combined with Paroxetine can enhance the clinical effects on PSD of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency type,which can improve the traditional Chinese medicine syndromes,depressive state and the gastrointestinal function.