A DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED MULTICENTER STUDY OF TACRINE FOR ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE
A DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED MULTICENTER STUDY OF TACRINE FOR ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE
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DOI:
10.1056/nejm199210293271801
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发表时间:
1992-10-29
影响因子:
158.5
通讯作者:
DOODY, RS
中科院分区:
文献类型:
--
作者:
DAVIS, KL;THAL, LJ;DOODY, RS
Background. In Alzheimer's disease, there is a marked decline in the function of cholinergic neurons in the brain. However, studies of treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors have produced conflicting results. We conducted a multicenter trial to evaluate whether the cholinesterase inhibitor tacrine (1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9-acridinamine monohydrochloride monohydrate) could improve cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease.Methods. Of 632 eligible patients with probable Alzheimer's disease, 215 improved while receiving tacrine during a preliminary crossover phase to determine responsiveness and the best dose. The 215 patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or their best dose of tacrine (10 or 20 mg four times a day) in a six-week, double-blind trial. The primary measures of efficacy were the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale and the Clinical Global Impression of Change scale; the secondary measures included the Mini-Mental State Examination and the assessment of the activities of daily living.Results. At the end of the six-week trial, the patients receiving tacrine had a mean adjusted cognitive-subscale score of 30.3 (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale) as compared with 32.7 in patients receiving placebo. This represents a smaller decline (by 2.4 points) in cognitive performance in the tacrine group (P