title: Effects of a Rivastigmine Patch on Self-Care Activities in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease plus Cerebrovascular Disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In dementia patients, a deficit in activities of daily living (ADL) is one of the main problems. Our objective was to assess ADL using the Korean Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) plus cerebrovascular disease (CVD) treated with a rivastigmine patch for 24 weeks in an open-label, observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  29 patients were enrolled who met the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke/Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS/ ANDRA) criteria and had a score of 10-26 on the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE). After the rivastigmine patch had been applied for 24 weeks, changes in self-care activities were assessed using the K-MBI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of the patients was 62.8 years, and they had an average K-MMSE score of 16.2. Patients showed a mean improvement of 21.9 points, as compared with the baseline K-MBI score of 30.3 (p < 0.05). Significantly better outcomes were seen in secondary outcome variables, for example the K-MMSE and backward digit span. The most frequent adverse events were skin problems, such as itching sensation (10%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this multicenter, open-label, observational study, the rivastigmine patch was associated with improvements in ADL in patients with AD plus CVD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Myongji Hospital, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Goyang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Kyun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University, Gimhae-si, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kil-Byung
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju-si, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University, Gimhae-si, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hong-Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju-si, South Korea.
authors.forename: Bum Sun
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju-si, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Activities of daily living; Alzheimer's disease with cerebrovascular disease; Rivastigmine patch