title: Galantamine versus donepezil in Chinese patients with Alzheimer's disease: results from a randomized, double-blind study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are considered standard of care for Alzheimer's disease in many countries. Galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that may also act via allosteric modulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Therefore, it may provide benefits compared with other acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. The present study compared galantamine (n = 116) with donepezil (n = 117) in a double-blind trial at nine hospitals in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  After washout of any previous acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, subjects with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease received galantamine or donepezil for 16 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog/11) scores improved significantly from baseline in both treatment arms, with a significant difference in favor of galantamine on the "language" functional area (P = 0.035). Significantly more galantamine-treated patients responded to treatment (defined as a reduction in ADAS-cog/11 score of >4, >7, or >10 points; all P < 0.05), and had an ADAS-cog/11 score < 20 at end point (P = 0.015). Both treatments were well tolerated, although fewer galantamine-treated patients experienced gastrointestinal adverse events compared with donepezil (30% versus 48%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cognitive function improved significantly in subjects with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease treated with galantamine or donepezil, and both treatments were generally well tolerated. Significant benefits for galantamine over donepezil were observed for language and response to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhenxin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaudig
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schäuble
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Richarz