The study employed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing the effects of acupuncture treatment with pharmacotherapy (specifically, methylphenidate hydrochloride) in patients diagnosed with ADHD. Ten studies, involving a total of 876 patients, were selected from 12 electronic databases that were searched from inception until February 3, 2020. Effectiveness of treatment and post-treatment hyperactivity scores formed the main outcomes, along with studying the occurrence of adverse events and post-treatment course.

In terms of the results, the meta-analysis found that acupuncture treatment demonstrated significantly higher effectiveness than pharmacotherapy and showed capabilities of reducing hyperactivity scores but to a lesser extent than pharmacotherapy. Additionally, there were no adverse events reported in the acupuncture group in two studies, and another study reported that acupuncture could even reduce adverse reactions from drugs. Lastly, three studies concluded that the positive effects of acupuncture treatment were sustained after the treatment was completed.