Five-year outcome of cholinergic treatment of Alzheimer's disease: Early response predicts prolonged time until nursing home placement, but does not alter life expectancy

• Fifty consecutive outpatients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) received treatment with the cholinesterase inhibitor tacrine in an open longitudinal study. Assessments using Mini-Mental State Examination, Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale – cognitive subscale, and a global rating were made at baseline and at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months. Three outcome groups were characterized: responders, unchanged and deteriorated. Additional outcome measures were time until nursing home placement, and mortality rate. At 6 months –75%, at 12 months –42%, at 24 months –20%, and after that 10% of the patients still on medication had improved or remained stable. The mortality rate did not differ between the outcome groups. Response to tacrine treatment at 6 or 12 months was found to predict a prolonged time until nursing home placement. No predictors for a positive treatment response could be identified at baseline.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Geriatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Geriatrics (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Psykiatri (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Psychiatry (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Neurologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Neurology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

cerebral-blood-flow

mini-mental-state

senile dementia

open-label

tacrine

donepezil

tetrahydroaminoacridine

multicenter

mortality

pressure

Long-term treatment

Tacrine

Alzheimer's disease

Nursing home placement.

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