title: Cerebrolysin for vascular dementia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vascular dementia is a common disorder without definitive treatments. Cerebrolysin seems to be a promising intervention based on its potential neurotrophic and pro-cognitive effects, but studies of its efficacy have yielded inconsistent results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and safety of Cerebrolysin for vascular dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched ALOIS - the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group's Specialized Register on 4 November 2012 using the terms: Cerebrolysin, Cere, FPF1070, FPF-1070. ALOIS contains records of clinical trials identified from monthly searches of a number of major healthcare databases, numerous trial registries and grey literature sources.
  
  
  METHODS
  All randomized controlled trials of Cerebrolysin for treating vascular dementia without language restriction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two authors independently selected trials and evaluated the methodological quality, then extracted and analysed data from the included trials.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six randomized controlled trials with a total of 597 participants were eligible. The meta-analyses revealed a beneficial effect of Cerebrolysin on general cognitive function measured by mini-mental state examination (MMSE) (weighted mean difference (WMD) 1.10; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37 to 1.82) or Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale Cognitive Subpart, extended version (ADAS-cog+) (WMD -4.01; 95% CI -5.36 to -2.66). It also improved patients' global clinical function evaluated by the response rates (relative risk (RR) 2.71, 95% CI 1.83 to 4.00). Only non-serious adverse events were observed in the included trials, and there was no significant difference in occurrence of non-serious side effects between groups (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.94).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cerebrolysin may have positive effects on cognitive function and global function in elderly patients with vascular dementia of mild to moderate severity, but there is still insufficient evidence to recommend Cerebrolysin as a routine treatment for vascular dementia due to the limited number of included trials, wide variety of treatment durations and short-term follow-up in most of the trials.
authors: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: Chen
authors: Mi
authors: M
authors: Yang
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Guo
authors: Muke
authors: M
authors: Zhou
authors: Cairong
authors: C
authors: Zhu
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: He
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D018697:Nootropic Agents; C006952:cerebrolysin