Effect of oxcarbazepine in the treatment of agitation and aggression in severe dementia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of oxcarbazepine (OXC) in the treatment of agitation and aggression in patients with Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia or both.


METHODS
This is an 8-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial carried out independently of the pharmaceutical industry. Changes in the agitation and aggression subscore of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) were the primary outcomes. The secondary out- comes were the changes in the caregivers' total burden scores (measured by the NPI) and changes in the Brief Agitation Rating Scale (BARS).


RESULTS
In total, 103 institutionalized patients at 35 sites were randomized to the trial. After 8 weeks, no statistically significant differences were found between the 2 groups for all outcomes. A trend was observed in favor of the OXC group in the reduction in the scores on the BARS (p = 0.07).


CONCLUSIONS
This study found no significant effect of OXC in treatment of agitation and aggression in patients with dementia.
Sommer
Oskar H
OH
Innlandet Hospital Trust, Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Reinsvoll, Norway. oskarsommer@gmail.com
Aga
Olav
O
Cvancarova
Milada
M
Olsen
Inge C
IC
Selbaek
Geir
G
Engedal
Knut
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine