EGb in the Treatment for Patients with VCI: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 2

Summary of findings.

EGb alone or combined with drugs for VCI versus drugs for VCI alone or blank group; “Drugs for VCI” and “blank” are abbreviated as “DV” and “B,” respectively.
Patients or population: the patients diagnosed with VCI were not limited in terms of age, sex, and race; Intervention: use of EGb alone or combined with drugs for VCI; Comparison: drugs for VCI or blank control
Outcomes	Anticipated absolute effects (95% CI)		Relative effect (95% CI)	Number of participants (studies)	Quality of the evidence (GRADE)
	Risk with control group	Risk with experimental group
MMSE
EGb vs. B	MMSE mean range 20.1-21.5	MD 3.04 (0.10 lower to 5.98 higher)	—	186 (2 RCTs)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,2,3,4
EGb vs. DV	The average levels in the control group were 15.62-16.35	MD 2.7 (1.39 lower to 4.01 higher)	—	169 (2 RCTs)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,2,4
vs. B	There was a significant difference in MMSE between EGb + DV and B (P < 0.00001) in one RCT [56].		—	61 (1 RCT)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Low^1,2
vs. DV	MMSE range 17.57-24.56	MD 3.14 (0 lower to 4.15 higher)	—	881 (11 RCTs)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,3,5
MoCA
EGb vs. B	MoCA mean range 12.98-18.4	MD 5.3 (2.15 lower to 8.46 higher)	—	180 (2 RCTs)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,2,3,4
vs. B	There was a significant difference in MMSE between and B () in one RCT [58]		—	88 (1 RCT)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Low^1,2
vs. DV	MoCA mean range 18.4-22.86	MD 2.56 (2.66 lower to 3.27 higher)	—	622 (6 RCTs)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,3,5
ADL
EGb vs. B	There was a significant difference in ADL between EGb and B () in one RCT [39]		—	60 (1 RCT)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,2,4
vs. B	There was a significant difference in ADL between and B () in one RCT [56]		—	61 (1 RCTs)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,2,4
vs. DV	ADL mean range 45.1-50.36	MD 9.2 (5.59 lower to 11.41 higher)	—	361 (4 RCTs)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Medium^1
HDS
EGb vs. B	There was a significant difference in HDS between EGb and B () in one RCT [55]		—	126 (1 RCT)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,2,4
vs. DV	HDSL mean range 22.41-24.16	MD 3.6 (2.5 lower to 4.7 higher)	—	140 (2 RCTs)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,2,3
BI
vs. DV	BI mean range 50.1-83.14	MD 5.71 (3.64 lower to 8.43 higher)	—	388 (4 RCTs)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,3,4,5
FAQ
EGb vs. DV	FAQ mean range 12-13.02	MD1.43 (2.78 higher to 0.08 lower)	—	169 (2 RCTs)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,2
vs. DV	There was a significant difference in FAQ between and DV () in one RCT [49]		—	82 (1 RCT)	⊕⊝⊝⊝; Very low^1,2

The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). MMSE: Mini-Mental State Examination; MoCA: Montreal Cognitive Assessment; CI: confidence interval; RCT: randomized controlled trials. ¹Bias in the integrity of hidden allocation, blind method, and result data. ²Funnel plot asymmetry. ³High heterogeneity, . ⁴Wide confidence interval. ⁵Differences in the types of cognitive impairment of the subjects, control medication, or course of treatment. Outcomes: EGb vs. B: EGb vs. blank control; EGb vs. DV: EGb vs. drug for VCI; vs. B: for VCI vs. blank control; vs. DV: for VCI vs. drug for VCI.