Long-term Use of Galantamine Versus Nootropics (Memory Enhancing Drugs) in Patients With Alzheimer's Dementia Under Conditions of Daily Routine

June 17, 2014 updated by: Janssen-Cilag G.m.b.H

Non-interventional Study on Long-term Application of Galantamine and Nootropics in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

The main objective of this non-interventional study was to document the long-term application of galantamine and nootropics (memory enhancing drugs) over a period of 1 year under conditions of daily routine. There were no predefined specifications of diagnostic and therapeutic measures. The decision for treatment with either galantamine or a nootropic had to be made by the treating physician prior to the start of documentation. The following measures were to be documented: safety, tolerability, dementia-associated symptoms (unstable walking, vertigo, awakening at night, shouting/screaming at night, perambulating at night, aggressiveness, agitation, apathy/social retreat, delusions, hallucinations, behavior that poses a risk to self or others, and daytime tiredness), frequency of admissions to nursing homes or nursing services, global functional level, caregiver's burden, and time spent on caregiving. Furthermore, this study aimed to gather knowledge on the differentiated use of the two treatment strategies considering the specific diagnosis of dementia (e.g. Alzheimer's disease only or mixed dementia, i.e. Alzheimer's disease and cerebrovascular disease) and risk profiles.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The aim of this observational, non-interventional study was to observe and document for a 1-year period, the long-term use of galantamine and nootropics (memory enhancing drugs) over a 1 year period under conditions of daily routine in a typical patient population of patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer's dementia or with mixed dementia, i.e. Alzheimer's and cerebrovascular disease. The design of this prospective study was non-interventional and thus, there were no predefined specifications of diagnostic and therapeutic measures. The decision for treatment with either galantamine or a nootropic agent had to be made by the treating physician prior to the start of documentation. Patients were observed over a period of 12 months or until end of documentation (visit 1 = baseline; visit 2, 3 and 4 after approximately 2, 6 and 9 months, respectively; visit 5 after approximately 12 months or final visit at end of documentation). The following measures were to be documented: safety by documenting adverse and serious adverse events together with severity, outcome and causality to the treatment; tolerability; vital functions; Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) staging system assessing global functioning; Mini-Mental State Examination assessing cognitive functions; dementia-associated behavioural symptoms (unstable walking, vertigo, awakening at night, shouting/screaming at night, perambulating at night, aggressiveness, agitation, apathy/social retreat, delusions, hallucinations, behavior that poses a risk to self or others, and daytime tiredness); frequency of admissions to nursing homes or nursing services; caregiver's burden and time spent on caregiving (based on daily and weekly caregiving tasks); final evaluation of the therapy with galantamine or nootropics through the treating physician. Furthermore, this study aimed to gather knowledge on the differentiated use of the two treatment strategies considering the specific diagnosis of dementia (e.g. Alzheimer's disease only or mixed dementia, i.e. Alzheimer's disease and cerebrovascular disease) and risk profiles. Therapeutic measures were not predefined in the protocol but remained at the discretion of the treating physician. Therapy decisions were to be based on medical needs. The treatment regimen of galantamine (8 mg,16 mg, 24 mg retard capsule) or nootropic agents (e.g. ginkgo biloba, dihydroergotoxine, nicergoline, piracetam, or others) was to be in accordance with the recommendations given in the summary of product characteristics (SmPC).

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

1134

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer dementia with or without cerebrovascular disease

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients were selected for documentation after the decision of treatment (galantamine or nootropic) had been made by the treating physician. Patients documented in this study were required to meet the following selection criteria: Diagnosis of probable mild or moderate dementia: Alzheimer type or mixed dementia (Alzheimer's and cerebrovascular disease)
  • Mini-Mental-State Examination score = 24 at baseline (Visit 1), if possible
  • Monotherapy with either galantamine or nootropic (the decision for treatment with either galantamine or a nootropic had to be made by the treating physician prior to the start of documentation)
  • Patient had a caregiver to whom personal contact was possible at least 3 times per week

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients were not eligible if they had received anti-dementive treatment with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, or the same nootropic used during the observational period within the last 12 weeks prior to baseline

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
001
Drug: Galantamine
Therapeutic measures were not predefined in the protocol but remained at the discretion of the treating physician. The treatment regimen of galantamine (8 mg,16 mg, 24 mg retard capsule) was to be in accordance with the recommendations given in the summary of product characteristics.
002
Drug: Nootropics (ginkgo biloba, nicergoline, piracetam, or others)
Therapeutic measures were not predefined in the protocol but remained at the discretion of the treating physician. The treatment regimen of nootropics was to be in accordance with the recommendations given in the relevant summary of product characteristics.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
documentation of the long-term use of galantamine and nootropics over a 1 year period under conditions of daily routine in patients with Alzheimer's disease (with or without vascular pathology)
Time Frame: approx. 12 months or until end of observation ( visit 1 = baseline; visit 2, 3 and 4 after approximately 2, 6 and 9 months, respectively; visit 5 after approximately 12 months or final visit at end of documentation)
approx. 12 months or until end of observation ( visit 1 = baseline; visit 2, 3 and 4 after approximately 2, 6 and 9 months, respectively; visit 5 after approximately 12 months or final visit at end of documentation)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Janssen-Cilag G.m.b.H

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

March 1, 2006

Primary Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2008

Study Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 5, 2009

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 5, 2009

First Posted (Estimate)

November 6, 2009

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

June 18, 2014

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 17, 2014

Last Verified

June 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • CR011689

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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