Acupuncture has been found potentially more effective than drugs in improving cognitive function and daily life in Alzheimer's disease patients, while also demonstrating safety.
The research methodology involved a comprehensive exploration of multiple databases including Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and various Chinese platforms from their inception to June 2014. The focus was on Randomized Controlled Trials where Alzheimer's disease patients received treatment either solely through acupuncture or in conjunction with one kind of drug. Data was independently extracted by two authors, and results concerning adverse reactions related to acupuncture were documented.
In analyzing the results of ten trials incorporating a total of 585 participants, it was clear that acupuncture demonstrated advantages over drugs alone, particularly in terms of improving scores on the Mini Mental State Examination scale. Additionally, evidence suggested that integrating acupuncture with the Alzheimer drug Donepezil was more effective in improving the same scale score when contrasted with using Donepezil as a sole treatment method. Adverse reactions linked to acupuncture were reported in only two trials out of 141, pointing to a low incidence of complications related to the procedure.
