Effectiveness of acupuncture for vascular cognitive impairment no dementia: a randomized controlled trial

To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with vascular cognitive impairment no dementia (VCIND) in comparison with citicoline, an agent for cognitive disturbances associated with chronic cerebral disorders.

A randomized controlled multicenter trial.

In three hospitals in Beijing, China.

A total of 216 patients with VCIND were recruited.

Patients with VCIND (mean age of 65.4 years) were randomized to receive acupuncture (two sessions per week) or oral citicoline (100 mg three times daily) over three months.

The primary outcome was the change from baseline to three months in cognitive symptom, measured by Alzheimer's disease Assessment Scale, cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog). Secondary outcomes included changes from baseline to six months in ADAS-cog, executive function measured by the Clock Drawing Test (CDT), and functional disability measured by the Ability of Daily Living (ADL) scale at three and six months.

At three months, the acupuncture group had a greater decrease in mean ADAS-cog score (-2.33 ± 0.31) than the citicoline group (-1.38 ± 0.34) with a mean difference of -0.95 (95% CI, -1.84 to -0.07, P = 0.035). The mean change from baseline to six months in ADAS-cog also significantly favored acupuncture treatments (acupuncture change -2.61 vs citicoline -1.25, difference: -1.36 points; 95% CI, -2.20 to -0.51; P = 0.002). There was no difference between the two groups on CDT and ADL scores at either time point.

Compared with citicoline, acupuncture has comparable and even superior efficacy with improved cognitive and daily living performance as a complementary and alternative medicine treatment for VCIND.