title: Early manifestations of dementing illness: treatment with glycosaminoglycan polysulfate.
abstract: 1. In a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial in 156 elderly patients with psychopathologic symptoms, glycosaminoglycan polysulfate was found to be a therapeutically effective agent in the treatment of the earliest manifestations of a dementing process. 2. Treatment with glycosaminoglycan polysulfate in the daily dosage of 600 LRU, administered on the basis of a divided dosage schedule for 24 weeks, was significantly superior to an inactive placebo on several outcome measures including the SCAG Total and factor scores (i.e., Cognitive Dysfunction, Withdrawal, Agitation/Irritability and Depression), the NOWLIS Total and Fatiguability factor scores, the MMSE, the HAM-D Total and Vegetative Symptoms factor score and the CGI Severity of Illness and Global Improvement. 3. The drug was well tolerated; vital signs and laboratory measures did not show clinically significant changes within the experimental period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Morey
authors.forename: O K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Fjetland
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rengo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Agnetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Onofrio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Facchini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anzivino
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Perego
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006496:Heparinoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D006496:Heparinoids; C013786:A73025