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Effects of Acupuncture on Vascular Cognitive Impairment with No Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Source :
-
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease . 2021, Vol. 81 Issue 4, p1391-1401. 11p. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- <bold>Background: </bold>Acupuncture has been used for treating vascular cognitive impairment, but evidence for its effectiveness remains limited.<bold>Objective: </bold>This single-center, patient-accessor blinded, randomized controlled trial was designed to assess whether acupuncture could improve the cognitive function of patients with vascular cognitive impairment with no dementia (VCIND).<bold>Methods: </bold>120 VCIND patients were randomly assigned to the electro-acupuncture (EA) or sham acupuncture (SA) group at a 1 : 1 ratio, with treatment conducted thrice weekly for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was the changes of cognitive function measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) from baseline to week 8. The secondary outcomes included the scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Follow-up assessments were performed with MoCA and MMSE at week 16 and 32. Linear mixed-effects models were used for analysis and all statistical tests were two-sided.<bold>Results: </bold>The results showed that patients in the EA group had a significantly greater improvement in MoCA score (23.85±4.18) than those in the SA group (21.48±4.44) at week 8 (95% CI = 0.80, 3.92, p = 0.04), as well as higher MoCA scores over time (p < 0.001 for interaction). Patients who received EA showed a greater increase in MMSE scores (26.41±3.47) than those who received SA (24.40±3.85) along 8 weeks (95% CI = 0.69, 3.34, p = 0.004). However, results diminished over time. No serious adverse events occurred during the trial.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>EA is a safe and effective technique to improve cognition over the short term of 8 weeks in VCIND patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *ACUPUNCTURE points
*COGNITION disorders
*RANDOMIZED controlled trials
*MONTREAL Cognitive Assessment
*ACUPUNCTURE
*COGNITIVE ability
*RESEARCH
*RESEARCH methodology
*COGNITION
*MEDICAL cooperation
*EVALUATION research
*SELF-report inventories
*NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL tests
*TREATMENT effectiveness
*COMPARATIVE studies
*MENTAL depression
*BARTHEL Index
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13872877
- Volume :
- 81
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 151821129
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-201353