Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Review Article

Acupuncture May Be a Potential Complementary Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Network Meta-Analysis

Table 3

Quality assessment according to the ROB 2.
ReviewerHe et al. [43]Zhang [50]Li and Li [33]Chen et al. [19]Geng [10]Liu [36]Xia [38]Tao and Li [47]Ji et al. [61]Li and Li [33]Jia et al. [15]Wang et al. [20]
AssessmentCommentsAssessmentCommentsAssessmentCommentsAssessmentCommentsAssessmentCommentsAssessmentCommentsAssessmentCommentsAssessmentCommentsAssessmentCommentsAssessmentCommentsAssessmentCommentsAssessmentComments
Selection of the reported resultHighThe study did not explain the specific treatment time of each treatment group, and it is suspected that there are possibilities of choosing the resultsHighThe study did not explain the specific treatment time of each treatment group, and it is suspected that there are possibilities of choosing the resultsHighThe study did not explain the specific treatment time of each treatment group, and it is suspected that there are possibilities of choosing the resultsLow—Low—HighThe study treated adverse events and were suspected of choosing the resultsHighThe study treated adverse events and were suspected of choosing the resultsHighThe study treated adverse events and were suspected of choosing the resultsLow—HighThe control group of the study was not treated with specific western medicine for AD, but only treated with conventional western medicine for other diseases.Low—HighThe study applied different outcomes from the original outcomes (not the outcomes used in this study).
Measurement of the outcomeLow—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—HighThe study had an unexplained dropout.Low—Low—Low—
Missing outcome dataLow—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—
Deviations from intended interventionsLow—Low—Low—Some concernsThe study was suspected of including dropout data into the analysis processSome concernsThe study was suspected of including dropout data into the analysis processSome concernsThe deviations may not likely to have affected the outcome.Low—Low—Low—Low—Some concernsThe study reduced or stopped the medicine due to the adverse events during the process of treatment.Low—
Randomization processLow—Low—Low—HighThe study might take antidepressant and anxiety drugs at the same time in the treatment process and apply random method based on the date of admission.Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—Low—