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A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of memantine in a behaviorally enriched sample of patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease

Authors

Herrmann, Nathan, Gauthier, Serge, Boneva, Neli, Lemming, Ole Michael

Journal

International Psychogeriatrics / IPA, Volume: 25, No.: 6, Pages.: 919-927

Year of Publication

2013

Abstract

Background: Agitation and aggression in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are amongst the most serious of neuropsychiatric symptoms, and contribute to poor outcomes and worse quality of life. Previous studies have suggested a benefit for memantine on agitation and aggression, but none have examined its efficacy in community-dwelling patients with significant agitation and aggression at baseline, utilizing these behaviors as a primary outcome measure.; Methods: Patients with moderate-to-severe AD with Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) total score ≥13 and NPI agitation/aggression score ≥1 were randomized to placebo or 20-mg memantine in a double-blind, 24-week trial. Co-primary outcome measures were behavior, measured by total NPI score, and cognition, using the Severe Impairment Battery (SIB). Secondary outcome measures included global assessment, function and other measures of behavior. This trial was registered as Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00857649.; Results: A total of 369 patients (average age = 75, average MMSE = 12) were randomized to placebo or memantine. The study was prematurely terminated due to recruitment problems. There were no statistically significant differences between memantine and placebo in mean change from baseline in NPI, SIB, or any of the secondary outcome measures. Behavior improved in both groups (total NPI change scores -3.90 ± 1.24 for memantine and -5.13 ± 1.23 for placebo). Memantine was generally well tolerated and patient retention in both treatment arms was good.; Conclusions: The study failed to show the superiority of memantine in this sample of patients with moderate-to-severe AD with significant baseline agitation and aggression. Methodological limitations could have contributed to these results.;

Bibtex Citation

@article{Herrmann_2013, doi = {10.1017/s1041610213000239}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1041610213000239}, year = 2013, month = {mar}, publisher = {Cambridge University Press ({CUP})}, volume = {25}, number = {06}, pages = {919--927}, author = {Nathan Herrmann and Serge Gauthier and Neli Boneva and Ole Michael Lemming}, title = {A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of memantine in a behaviorally enriched sample of patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer{textquotesingle}s disease}, journal = {Int. Psychogeriatr.} }

Keywords

adverse effects, aged, aged, 80 and over, aggression, alzheimer disease, antiparkinson agents, complications, double-blind method, drug effects, drug therapy, etiology, female, humans, male, memantine, middle aged, neuropsychological tests, prospective studies, psychology, psychomotor agitation, severity of illness index, therapeutic use, treatment outcome

Countries of Study

Canada

Types of Dementia

Alzheimer’s Disease

Types of Study

Randomised Controlled Trial

Type of Outcomes

ADLs/IADLs, Behaviour, Cognition

Type of Interventions

Pharmaceutical Interventions

Pharmaceutical Interventions

Anti-Alzheimer medications, e.g.: donezepil, galantamine, rivastigmine, memantime