title: Quetiapine for the treatment of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD): a meta-analysis of randomised placebo-controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This meta-analysis is aimed to determine the efficacy of quetiapine for the treatment of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Our electronic search included MEDLINE (1950-2009), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and PsychINFO. We also did a hand search of the International Psychogeriatric Association poster presentations and checked the National trial registry data bases from USA, UK, RSA, Holland, Australia and New Zealand. We included double-blinded randomised placebo-controlled trials studies that measured BPSD with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). The Clinical Global Impression of Change scale (CGI-C) was our secondary outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six sets of data were included in this meta-analysis. Patients receiving quetiapine improved when compared to placebo with a weighted mean difference of - 3.05 (95% CI: -6.10, -0.01) and -0.31 (95% CI: -0.54, -0.08) respectively on the NPI score and CGI-C score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This meta-analysis found that quetiapine is statistically more efficacious than placebo in the treatment of BPSD as measured by the NPI and CGI-C. However, improvement is of a small magnitude and observable clinical significance is questionable.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Services for Older People, Auckland District Health Board, Private Bag 92189, Greenlane Clinical Centre, Auckland, New Zealand. GCheung@adhb.govt.nz
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Janli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stapelberg
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001519:Behavior; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate