A 24-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of the Rivastigmine Patch in Japanese Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Background: As of 2010, the rivastigmine patch was licensed for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in 64 countries. Methods: This 24-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of the 5-cm2 (9-mg loading dose; 4.6 mg/24 h delivery rate) and 10-cm2 (18-mg loading dose; 9.5 mg/24 h delivery rate) rivastigmine patch in Japanese patients with AD. Results: In the primary analysis population (intent-to-treat last observation carried forward) at week 24, delayed deterioration was seen with the 10-cm2 patch versus placebo on the Japanese version of the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-J cog; p = 0.005) and the Japanese version of the Clinician’s Interview-Based Impression of Change plus Caregiver Input (CIBIC plus-J; p = 0.067). Participants receiving the rivastigmine patch showed numerically less decline versus placebo at week 24 on the CIBIC plus-J, although this did not reach statistical significance. Statistical significance for the CIBIC plus-J was met following adjustment for body weight and baseline Mini-Mental State Examination score as dynamic allocation factors (p = 0.042) and on the Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD; p = 0.024) and Mental Function Impairment (MENFIS; p = 0.016) subscales. Serious adverse events were rare and were consistent with the known safety profile of the rivastigmine patch. Conclusion: The rivastigmine patch has a favorable efficacy and tolerability profile in Japanese patients with AD

Therapeutic effects of drug switching between acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in patients with Alzheimer's disease

AIM: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of switching from one acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI), donepezil, galantamine or rivastigmine, to another in Alzheimer's disease patients. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 171 Alzheimer's disease patients, whose ChEI medication was changed. The patients were evaluated on three major aspects of dementia - cognitive, affective and activities of daily living (ADL) measures - at 6 months (M) before the drug switch, at the time of drug switch (baseline), and at 3 M and 6 M after the drug switch. RESULTS: The doses of the three ChEI were significantly lower at 6 M after the switch compared with the pre-switch doses. Improvements in apathy were found at 3 M when switching from donepezil to galantamine, but not to rivastigmine, but this switch had adverse effects on ADL. Improvements in cognitive scores at 3 M were also found when switching from galantamine to rivastigmine, but not to donepezil. However, both of these changes improved Abe's Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia scores (ABS), except ADL. Switching from rivastigmine to donepezil worsened ABS at 6 M, but preserved cognitive and ADL scores. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that despite a relatively lower dose of ChEI after the switch, switching from donepezil or rivastigmine preserved cognitive functions for at least 6 M. Switching from galantamine to rivastigmine improved Mini-Mental State Examination and ABS at 3 M, but did not improve ADL scores. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1843-1848

OBSERVATION OF LATTICE INSTABILITY IN K_<0.3>MoO_3 BY ION-CHANNELING TECHNIQUES(EXPERIMENTS ON BLUE BORNZES, International Symposium on NONLINEAR TRANSPORT AND RELATED PHENOMENA IN INORGANIC QUASI ONE DIMENSIONAL CONDUCTORS)

この論文は国立情報学研究所の電子図書館事業により電子化されました。We have measured the backscattering yields of 1.00MeV He^+ ions for quasi one dimensional conductor K_MoO_3 in the region from room temperature to 10OK. The temperature dependence of the backscattering yields exibits the softening of a certain phonon mode. The enhancement of the backscattering yields was observed when the applied electric field for the specimens was exceeded the threshold value for the onset of nonlinear conduction in this material. The possible origin of the enhancement is discussed

CIBIC Plus-J Assessment Using a Videotaped Method in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients

Background/Aims: CIBIC plus-J is the Japanese language version equivalent to CIBIC plus. Variability of CIBIC plus-J arises among raters in accordance with their experience and their memories of patients’ conditions at baseline. Therefore, in a multicenter trial of Alzheimer’s disease, CIBIC plus-J interviews with Alzheimer’s disease patients were videotaped, and the tapes were assessed by central raters as a means to improve the reliability of CIBIC plus-J assessment. Methods: Two of eight central raters were randomly selected and independently assessed the CIBIC plus-J of each patient. Results: CIBIC plus-J of 41 patients was assessed. The agreement rate between the two raters was 46.3% (19/41), when two raters assessed the CIBIC plus-J of the same patient. However, when considering disagreement between adjacent points as ‘agree’, the agreement rate was 97.6% (40/41). Although the kappa coefficients contained coincidence, simple and quadratic weighted kappa coefficients [95% confidential interval (CI)] were 0.226 (0.066–0.386) and 0.633 (0.507–0.759), respectively, and when considering disagreement between adjacent points as ‘agree’, the agreement kappa was 0.896 (0.752–1.041). The interclass coefficient from the two-way layout model was 0.639. Conclusion: The reliability of the CIBIC plus-J assessment with the videotaped method was acceptable