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Choto‐san versus placebo for patients with dementia: systematic review and meta‐analysis
Author(s) -
Imai Hissei,
Takeshima Nozomi,
Oda Haruhiko,
Chen Peiyao,
Sawada Etsuko,
Furukawa Toshiaki A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
psychogeriatrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.647
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1479-8301
pISSN - 1346-3500
DOI - 10.1111/psyg.12275
Subject(s) - dementia , medicine , placebo , vascular dementia , randomized controlled trial , meta analysis , cognitive impairment , cognition , physical therapy , psychiatry , alternative medicine , disease , pathology
Background Choto‐san is a traditional medicine used for hypertension and headaches in J apan and C hina. Some studies have shown its effectiveness in the treatment of dementia. The present review aimed to assess the effectiveness and acceptability of C hoto‐san in the treatment of adults with cognitive impairment. Methods We included randomized controlled trials comparing C hoto‐san with placebo for patients with dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Results Three randomized controlled trials evaluating 219 participants were included. Two were studies on vascular dementia, and the other was on A lzheimer's dementia. There was no difference between C hoto‐san and placebo in terms of short‐term dichotomous judgement of improvement, but C hoto‐san was more effective than placebo in terms of short‐term improvement of cognitive function as measured by continuous outcomes. Also, dropouts judged it to be acceptable. However, the results were imprecise and/or heterogeneous. The number of participants included in the analysis was small ( n = 199 in the primary analysis) and sometimes inconsistent, as indicated by the large I 2 (72% in the primary analysis). Conclusion Low‐quality evidence was suggestive of C hoto‐san's efficacy for vascular dementia, but the present results may be overestimated. Studies with a larger sample size and conducted over longer periods should be performed. Regardless, C hoto‐san can be one of the choices for the treatment of vascular dementia as it is well tolerated.