Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Large Type Edition
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]
Author:
 		Keyword(s):
Year:  Vol:  Page: 

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Gillette-Guyonnet, S.
Right arrow Articles by Vellas, B.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Gillette-Guyonnet, S.
Right arrow Articles by Vellas, B.
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 61:516-520 (2006)
© 2006 The Gerontological Society of America

Outcome of Alzheimer's Disease: Potential Impact of Cholinesterase Inhibitors

Sophie Gillette-Guyonnet, Sandrine Andrieu3, Frédéric Cortes, Fati Nourhashemi, Christelle Cantet, Pierre-Jean Ousset, Emma Reynish, Hélène Grandjean and Bruno Vellas

1 Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Gerontology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Purpan-Casselardit, Toulouse, France.
2 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
3 INSERM U558, Toulouse, France.

Address correspondence to S. Gillette-Guyonnet, PhD, Service de Médecine Interne et de Gérontologie Clinique, Pavillon J. P. Junod, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire La Grave-Casselardit, 170 avenue de Casselardit, TSA40031, 31059 Toulouse cedex 9, France. E-mail: gillette.s{at}chu-toulouse.fr/sophie.gillette{at}free.fr

Background. Alzheimer's disease is fast becoming a major public health concern with serious economic consequences. The cholinesterase inhibitors (CEIs) offer some benefit in the symptomatic treatment of the disease. This study aims to investigate the effect of CEIs on three clinically relevant domains (rapid cognitive decline, institutionalization, and weight loss) in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Methods. A prospective observational study was performed in which a population of 455 Alzheimer's disease patients were recruited and followed up for at least 1 year between 1994 and 2002. Patients were reevaluated at 6 monthly intervals using standardized neurocognitive and geriatric evaluations in addition to complete clinical examination, standard paraclinical investigations, and recording of treatment received.

Results. The risk of rapid cognitive deterioration was significantly decreased in patients taking CEIs for at least 1 year compared to untreated patients (odds ratio [OR] = 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34–0.93; p =.025). The potential benefit of CEI use was also found on institutionalization (OR = 0.2, 95% CI, 0.08–0.48; p <.001) and weight loss (OR = 0.56, 95% CI, 0.32–0.97; p =.039) after 1 year of follow-up.

Conclusion. The special interest of this study is that all patients were recruited and followed in the same center with the same management care plan and the same medical team. This follow-up offers us a unique opportunity to compare the 1-year evolution of the disease in clinical practice before and after the marketing of CEIs and allows us to demonstrate a clinically significant improvement in patient outcome over time.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
All GSA journals The Gerontologist
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Copyright © 2006 by The Gerontological Society of America.