title: Effectiveness of standardized ginkgo biloba extract on cognitive symptoms of dementia with a six-month treatment: a bivariate random effect meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study is to take into consideration the influence of baseline risk on the treatment effect and evaluate the effectiveness of standardized GINKGO BILOBA extract (GbE) on cognitive symptoms of dementia with the treatment period of approximately 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  We systematically searched the literature to identify all randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials (English language) of GbE in the treatment of dementia. Data were extracted from selected trials and combined with standard meta-analysis methods. A bivariate meta-analysis was carried out to further estimate the effect size of GbE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The random effect estimate of standard mean difference (SMD) between GbE and placebo groups of 6 selected trials was -0.89 (95% CI -1.82 to 0.04) in the assessment of cognitive function. Bivariate random effect estimate of difference of change in ADAS-cog scores was -2.65 (95% CI --4.53 to -0.76), which showed a significant difference in favor of GbE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering baseline risk in the assessment of treatment effect, GbE was found to be effective for cognitive functions in dementia with the treatment of 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Biostatistics, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: B-S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y-Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Z-X
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.forename: B-S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: H-Z
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts