Alzheimer's Disease
Conditions
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease, donepezil
Brief summary
This study evaluates the side effects of dose escalation in the treatment of donepezil 23mg for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Investigators randomly divide participants into three groups according to the dose escalation method; no titration, 15mg of donepezil for a month before escalation to 23mg, and alternating of 10mg and 23mg for a month before escalation to 23mg.
Detailed description
High dose of donepezil is currently prescribed for patients with Alzheimer's disease who showed poor response in lower dose, however the side effect profiles according to dose titration method were not clarified yet. This study aims to confirm which titration method would show better safeties and tolerabilities in the high dose donepezil treatment. Investigators include patients with moderate to severe dementia who were diagnosed as probable Alzheimer's disease and treated with donepezil 10mg at least 3 months before the study. The study duration is for 12 weeks and the titration duration is the first 4 weeks of the study. Investigators evaluate the side effects profiles and vital signs at every 4 weeks and measure blood laboratory tests at screening and the last visit.
Interventions
DRUGdonepezil
using different titration method for the first 4 weeks, and after the 4 weeks, 23mg/day orally
Sponsors
Dong-A University
Myongji Hospital
Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
Seoul St. Mary's Hospital
Chung-Ang University
Eisai Inc.
Asan Medical Center
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
45 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* dementia according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV criteria * probable Alzheimer's disease dementia according to National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association (NIAAA) criteria * Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 20 or less * General Deterioration Scale (GDS) score of 4 or more / Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score of 2 or more * stable dose of 10mg donepezil at least 3 months before screening * caregiver who can come together at every visit and give informations about side effects profiles should exist * patients and caregivers accepted the study
Exclusion criteria
* patients receiving other concomitant acetylcholinesterase inhibitor * uncontrolled psychiatric disorders * drug overuse or alcohol abuse history within 5 years * significant uncontrolled or active medical conditions * uncontrolled epilepsy * patients who cannot come at scheduled visits
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (safety and tolerability) | Change from baseline at 4 week | adverse events (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, abdominal pain, headache and other unpredicted adverse events)are asked and assessed using 3 grade scale (mild, moderate, severe) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| blood BUN | 12 week | if BUN level is above 30 mg/dL, abnormal |
| blood Creatinine | 12 week | if creatinine level is above 1.4 mg/dL, abnormal |
| blood sodium | 12 week | if sodium level is below 135mmol/L or above 145mmol/L, abnormal |
| blood potassium | 12 week | if potassium level is below 3.5mmol/L or above 5.1mmol/L, abnormal |
| blood WBC | 12 week | if WBC count is below 4000/uL or above 10000/uL, abnormal |
| weight loss | 4 week, 8 week, 12 week | if the weight is decreased over 5% of body weight at screening visit, then weight loss |
| drug compliance (counting of residual drug) | 4 week, 8 week, 12 week | if the (number of prescribed drugs - number of residual drugs)/ number of prescribed drugs is below 80%, then consider as low compliance, if compliance is between 80-100% then consider as good compliance |
| heart rate on Electrocardiography (ECG) | 12 week | checking whether heart rate on ECG is normal because donepezil can cause bradycardia; if the heart rate is decreased below 50, then write down as bradycardia |
| blood AST/ALT | 12 week | if AST or ALT level is above 50 IU/L, abnormal |
Countries
South Korea
Outcome results
None listed