Long-Term Effects of Galantamine in Alzheimer's Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Shane Kavanagh, Ian Howe, H. Robert Brashear, Daniel Wang, Bart Van Baelen, Michael Todd, Susanne Schwalen
Primary Institution: Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Services
Hypothesis
Can short-term efficacy data predict long-term response to galantamine therapy in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease?
Conclusion
Patients who show improvement, stability, or limited cognitive decline shortly after starting galantamine are more likely to benefit from long-term treatment.
Supporting Evidence
- Galantamine-treated patients improved by 1.5 points on the ADAS-Cog 11 scale compared to a deterioration of 1.8 points in the placebo group.
- 45.8% of galantamine-treated patients met the criteria for improvement compared to 27.2% in the placebo group.
- 87.6% of galantamine-treated patients showed non-rapid cognitive decline compared to 69.7% in the placebo group.
Takeaway
If someone with Alzheimer's does well on a medicine called galantamine for a little while, they might keep doing well if they keep taking it for a long time.
Methodology
Data were pooled from 6 randomized placebo-controlled trials and 12 open-label extensions, focusing on changes in cognitive scores from baseline.
Potential Biases
Selection effects due to trial withdrawals cannot be precluded.
Limitations
The study lacked a long-term placebo group and was limited by potential dropout bias.
Participant Demographics
Patients were primarily elderly, with a mean age range of 72-78 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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