Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Acupuncture for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To assess the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment option for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods

The literatures were searched using 15 databases, including MEDLINE, AMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycInfo, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, six Korean medical databases and two Chinese databases without language restritions. Prospective controlled clinical studies of any type of acupuncture therapy for ADHD autistic patients were included. Trials in which acupuncture was part of a complex intervention were also included. All articles were read by two independent reviewers, who extracted data from the articles according to predefined criteria. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.

Results

Of 114 articles, only three randomized clinical trials (RCTs) met our inclusion criteria. One RCT found that electroacupuncture (EA) plus behavioural treatment was superior to sham EA plus behavioural treatment. Two RCTs reported a significant benefit of acupuncture or auricular acupuncture over conventional drug therapies.

Conclusions

Limited evidence exists for the effectiveness of acupuncture as a symptomatic treatment of ADHD. Given that the risk of bias of the included studies was high, firm conclusions cannot be drawn.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Biederman J, Faraone SV. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Lancet 2005;366:237–248.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Keen D, Hadijikoumi I. ADHD in children and adolescents. Clin Evid (Online) 2008;2008. pii: 0312.

  3. Chan E, Rappaport LA, Kemper KJ. Complementary and alternative therapies in childhood attention and hyperactivity problems. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2003;24:4–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Sinha D, Efron D. Complementary and alternative medicine use in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Paediatr Child Health 2005;41:23–26.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Stubberfield T, Parry T. Utilization of alternative therapies in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Paediatr Child Health 1999;35:450–453.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Weber W, Newmark S. Complementary and alternative medical therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism. Pediatr Clin North Am 2007;54:983–1006; xii.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Mantle F, ed. Complementary and alternative medicine for child and adolescent care. Philadelphia: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2004: 3–32.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  8. Ernst E. Acupuncture—a critical analysis. J Intern Med 2006;259:125–137.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Chai TQ. Observation on therapeutic effects of 155 cases of child attentional deficit hyperactivity disorder treated with acupuncture and moxibustion. Chin Acupunct Moxibust (Chin) 1999;19:5–7.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Li S, Yu B, Zhou D, He C, Kang L, Wang X et al. Acupuncture for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescent. Cochrane DB Syst Rev 2009:CD007839.

  11. Higgins JPT, Altman DG. Assessing risk of bias in included studies. In: Higgins JPT, Green S, eds. Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. West Sussex, England: Wiley-Blackwell; 2008:187–241.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  12. Li SS, Yu B, Yan B, Kang L, Jiang SH, Li W, et al. Randomized-controlled study of treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder of preschool children with combined electro-acupuncture and behavior therapy. Chin Archi Tradit Chin Med (Chin) 2009;27:1215–1218.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Liu M. Clinical observation of auricular pressing therapy for 40 patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Zhejiang J Tradit Chin Med (Chin) 2007;42:533.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Xu XB, Liu HJ, Peng JH. Comparative observation on acupuncture and Western medicine for treatment of minimal brain dysfunction. Chin Acupunct Moxibust (Chin) 2007;27:904–906.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Day SJ, Altman DG. Statistics notes: blinding in clinical trials and other studies. BMJ 2000;321:504.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Schulz KF, Chalmers I, Hayes RJ, Altman DG. Empirical evidence of bias. Dimensions of methodological quality associated with estimates of treatment effects in controlled trials. JAMA 1995;273:408–412.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Moore A, Edwards J, Barden J, McQuay H. Bandolier’s little book of pain. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2003: 42–54.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Deeks JJ, Higgins PT, Altaman DG. Analysis data and underaking meta-analysis. In: Higgins JPT, Green S, eds. Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. West Sussex, England: Wiley-Blackwell; 2008:243–296.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  19. Rothstein HR, Sutton AJ, Borenstein M. Publication bias in meta-analysis. In: Rothstein HR, Sutton AJ, Borenstein M, eds. Publication bias in meta-analysis. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley; 2005:1–7.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Myeong Soo Lee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lee, M.S., Choi, TY., Kim, JI. et al. Acupuncture for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 17, 257–260 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-011-0701-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-011-0701-7

Keywords

Navigation