Effects of Discontinuation of Benzodiazepine-derivative Hypnotics on Cognitive and Motor Functions in Elderly Persons

Effects of Discontinuation of Benzodiazepine-derivative Hypnotics on Cognitive and Motor Functions in Elderly Persons: a Pilot Study

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) have been reported to cause negative impacts on motor as well as cognitive functions, which in turn could result in lethal incidents including falls especially in the elderly. This notwithstanding, few trials have evaluated a feasibility and benefits of discontinuing BZD-derivative hypnotics in a systematic manner in this frail population. In this 8-week open-label study, we examined changes in motor and cognitive functions following the discontinuation of BZD hypnotics in older persons.

OBJECTIVES & HYPOTHESES

1. Primary Objective The primary objective is to examine the feasibility of discontinuing BZD-derivative hypnotics in older people.

2. Secondary Objectives

   1. One of the secondary objectives is to examine the magnitude of discontinuing BZD-derivative hypnotics in the stability of body.
   2. Another secondary objective is to examine the magnitude of discontinuing BZD-derivative hypnotics in cognitive function.

Hypotheses

1. More than 80% of the participants will complete and tolerate all the study procedures.

2a. Participants will show an improvement in the stability of body. 2b. Participants will show an improvement in the cognitive function globally as well as specifically in attention.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Adverse Effects
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Drug: Benzodiazepine (listed out below)

Detailed Description

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) have been reported to cause negative impacts on motor as well as cognitive functions, which in turn could result in lethal incidents including falls especially in the elderly. This notwithstanding, few trials have evaluated a feasibility and benefits of discontinuing BZD-derivative hypnotics in a systematic manner in this frail population. In this study, we examined changes in motor and cognitive functions following the discontinuation of BZD hypnotics in older persons.

In this 8-week open-label study, subjects aged 50 or older who receive BZD as a hypnotic and do not have any unstable physical illness, or neurological disorder will be recruited. The BZD dose will be discontinued in 4 weeks by a weekly 25% reduction.

Following assessments will be performed at baseline 12 hours postdose and at endpoint: the Clinical Stabilometric Platform (CSP), the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and the Critical Flicker Fusion Test (CFF), the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (LSEQ). The CSP measures the stability of body, with the eyes opened or closed.

All psychotropic agents other than the BZD-derivative hypnotics will be kept constant throughout the study.

The dose reduction will be terminated if any of the following conditions are fulfilled:

1. Clinical worsening in sleep defined as a CGI-Global Improvement score of 7
2. Participant's request
3. Clinical decision on the part of the physician of record or independent consulting physician In the event that a participant needs a dose increment for anxiety and insomnia, the dose will be increased back to the previous dose, and they will be followed for the rest of the study period. In addition, the use of trazodone (25-100 mg/day) will be allowed anytime throughout the study period.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Japan
  • Saitama
    • Hannou, Saitama, Japan, 357-0042
      • Minamihanno Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or female participants of any race or ethnicity with any psychiatric diagnosis
• Age of 50 and older
• Having been treated with an BZD-derivative hypnotic drug at a steady dose for at least 4 weeks

Exclusion Criteria:

• Incapacity to follow the instructions.
• Unstable physical illness or significant neurological disorder
• Psychiatric concerns raised by the physician of record regarding participation in the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Dose reduction; The benzodiazepine dose will be discontinued in 4 weeks by a weekly 25% reduction. Participants will be observed for 8 weeks.

Drug: Drug: Benzodiazepine (listed out below); The benzodiazepine (BZD) dose will be discontinued in 4 weeks by a weekly 25% reduction. BZD-derivative hypnotics will include brotizolam, flunitrazepam, etizolam, quazepam, estazolam, nitrazepam, flurazepam, and diazepam. All psychotropic agents other than the BZD-derivative hypnotics will be kept constant throughout the study. In addition, the use of trazodone (25-100 mg/day) will be allowed anytime throughout the study period. Subjects will be observed for 8 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Completion Rate	The number of subjects who have successfully completed dose-reduction and all the assessments scheduled until week 8 divided by the total number of enrolled subjects	8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
A Change in a Total Scale Score in the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), Japanese Version, From Baseline to Week 8.	This brief test is to assess areas of cognitive functioning and profile impairment across domains with 12 subtests, including: List Learning, Story Memory, Figure Copy, Line Orientation, Digit Span, Coding, Picture Naming, Semantic Fluency, List Recall, List Recognition, Story Recall, and Figure Recall. This assessment is repeatable and not subject to practice effects. A total scale score ranges between 40 and 160; a higher score indicates better cognitive function. A change in the score between the baseline and week 8 is defined as a secondary outcome measure.	Baseline and week 8
Clinical Stabilometric Platform (CSP)	CSP (ANIMA® GS-7, Tokyo) measures a total length of the trunk motion by varying the resistance applied to the platform for 30 seconds with eyes closed with feet together. Change in the total length of the trunk motion from baseline to week 8 will be recorded.	Baseline and week 8
Critical Flicker Fusion Test (CFF)	The CFF threshold has been regarded as a functional measure of psychomotor function. Sub-threshold intermittent light is perceived as a flicker. If the frequency is gradually increased, the flicker becomes gradually less distinct until it is finally perceived as a continuous light (fusion threshold). The device (T.K.K.501c) provides luminance with a mean intensity of 500Lux±10% and a range of frequency of 20-60Hz. A change in the critical fusion frequency from baseline to week 8 will be recorded.	Baseline and week 8
Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (LSEQ)	The LSEQ comprises 10 self-rating 100-mm-line analogue questions regarding changes in the quality of sleep and early morning behavior, following any given intervention. Scores range between 0 and 100. Scores beneath 50 indicate better sleep. This will be performed at week 8.	Week 8
Clinical Global Impression (CGI)	The CGI rating scales are commonly used measures of symptom severity, treatment response and the efficacy of treatments in treatment studies of patients with mental disorders (Guy, W., 1976). The CGI - Improvement scale (CGI-I) is a 7 point scale that requires the clinician to assess how much the patient's illness has improved or worsened relative to a baseline state at the beginning of the intervention. and rated as: 1, very much improved; 2, much improved; 3, minimally improved; 4, no change; 5, minimally worse; 6, much worse; or 7, very much worse. This will be performed at week 8.	Week 8

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Minamihanno Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Kenichi Tsunoda, MD, Minamihanno Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: January 1, 2008
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2010
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 27, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 30, 2008
• First Posted (Estimate): July 1, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): March 27, 2012
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 24, 2012
• Last Verified: March 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: cognition; hypnotics; benzodiazepines; aged; posture
• Other Study ID Numbers: MH0001