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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015:2015:161439.
doi: 10.1155/2015/161439. Epub 2015 Oct 1.

Acupuncture for Vascular Dementia: A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial

Guang-Xia Shi  1 , Qian-Qian Li  1 , Bo-Feng Yang  2 , Yan Liu  2 , Li-Ping Guan  2 , Meng-Meng Wu  2 , Lin-Peng Wang  1 , Cun-Zhi Liu  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Acupuncture for Vascular Dementia: A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial

Guang-Xia Shi et al. ScientificWorldJournal. 2015.

Abstract

In this trial, patients who agreed to random assignment were allocated to a randomized acupuncture group (R-acupuncture group) or control group. Those who declined randomization were assigned to a nonrandomized acupuncture group (NR-acupuncture group). Patients in the R-acupuncture group and NR-acupuncture group received up to 21 acupuncture sessions during a period of 6 weeks plus routine care, while the control group received routine care alone. Cognitive function, activities of daily living, and quality of life were assessed by mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL), and dementia quality of life questionnaire (DEMQOL), respectively. All the data were collected at baseline, after 6-week treatment, and after 4-week follow-up. No significant differences of MMSE scores were observed among the three groups but pooled-acupuncture group had significant higher score than control group. Compared to control group, ADL score significantly decreased in NR-acupuncture group and pooled-acupuncture group. For DEMQOL scores, no significant differences were observed among the three groups, as well as between pooled-acupuncture group and control group. Additional acupuncture to routine care may have beneficial effects on the improvements of cognitive status and activities of daily living but have limited efficacy on health-related quality of life in VaD patients.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Trial flow chart.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The changes of score in MMSE across time. Comparison among R-acupuncture group, NR-acupuncture group, and control group (a) and between pooled-acupuncture group and the control group (b). R-acupuncture = randomized acupuncture group, Control = control group, NR-acupuncture = nonrandomized acupuncture group, and P-acupuncture = pooled-acupuncture group. T1 = at baseline, T2 = after 6-week treatment, and T3 = after 4-week follow-up.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The changes of score in ADL across time. Comparison among R-acupuncture group, NR-acupuncture group, and control group (a) and between pooled-acupuncture group and the control group (b). R-acupuncture = randomized acupuncture group, Control = control group, NR-acupuncture = nonrandomized acupuncture group, P-acupuncture = pooled-acupuncture group. T1 = at baseline, T2 = after 6-week treatment, and T3 = after 4-week follow-up.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The changes of score in DEMQOL across time. Comparison among R-acupuncture group, NR-acupuncture group, and control group (a) and between pooled-acupuncture group and the control group (b). R-acupuncture = randomized acupuncture group, Control = control group, NR-acupuncture = nonrandomized acupuncture group, and P-acupuncture = pooled-acupuncture group. T1 = at baseline, T2 = after 6-week treatment, and T3 = after 4-week follow-up.
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