title: Galantamine and behavior in Alzheimer disease: analysis of four trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) experience behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms, which may cause caregiver distress and lead to the institutionalization of the patient. This analysis characterized behavioral symptoms and caregiver distress in trials of galantamine and their response to treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were pooled from four randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials of galantamine in patients with mild to moderate AD (three studies) or AD plus cerebrovascular disease (one study) (n = 2177). Behavior and associated caregiver distress were assessed in each study using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and NPI distress (NPI-D), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 5/6 months, but not after 3 months, NPI score was significantly improved with galantamine vs placebo (P = 0.013). The benefit was particularly pronounced in patients categorized as having advanced moderate AD. At 5/6 months, there was a numerical benefit of galantamine over placebo in terms of caregiver distress; the difference was statistically significant in patients with moderate or advanced moderate AD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Galantamine reduces behavioral symptoms in patients with mild to moderate AD, leading to reduced caregiver burden. The reductions were greatest in patients with moderate or advanced moderate disease.
authors: Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Services, Beerse, Belgium.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Kavanagh
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Gaudig
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Van Baelen
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Adami
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Delgado
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Guzman
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Jedenius
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Schäuble