title: Glycosaminoglycan polysulfate in the treatment of old age dementias.
abstract: 1. In a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial in 155 elderly patients with cognitive decline, glycosaminoglycan polysulfate was found to be a therapeutically effective agent in the treatment of old age dementias. 2. Treatment with glycosaminoglycan polysulfate in the daily dosage of 600 LRU, administered on the basis of a divided dosage schedule for 12 weeks, was significantly superior to an inactive placebo on several outcome measures including the Wechsler Memory Scale-Russell Revision (Easy Paired Associates Learning and Immediate Visual Reproduction), Mini Mental State Examination, the Sandoz Clinical Assessment Geriatric (Cognitive Dysfunction and Depression), Hachinski Dementia Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (Confusion and Depressive Withdrawal) and Global Improvement Scale of the Clinical Global Impression. 3. Adverse effects with glycosaminoglycan polysulfate were few and mild. The drug was equally well tolerated and equally effective in the two major dementias of old age, i.e., primary degenerative and multi-infarct. The number of abnormal laboratory test readings remained essentially unchanged from pre-treatment to post-treatment.
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: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aguglia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dreyfus
authors.forename: O K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Fjetland
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Modaferri
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; C013786:A73025