Clinical effects of high oral dose of donepezil for patients with Alzheimer's disease in Japan

Authors: NOZAWA, Motohiro; ICHIMIYA, Yosuke¹; NOZAWA, Eiko²; UTUMI, Yushi¹; SUGIYAMA, Hideki¹; MURAYAMA, Norio¹; ISEKI, Eizo¹; ARAI, Heii²

Source: Psychogeriatrics, Volume 9, Number 2, June 2009 , pp. 50-55(6)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

Background: 

Donepezil 10 mg/day gained approval in Japan in August 2007 for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in advanced Alzheimer's disease. Methods: 

We evaluated the efficacy and adverse effects of donepezil when the dose was increased to 10 mg/day in 61 Japanese patients with Alzheimer's disease. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Revised Hasegawa Dementia Scale and mini-mental state examination at the day before starting, and at 4, 8 and 24 weeks after starting donepezil 10 mg/day. The relationship with apolipoprotein E4 was also investigated. Results: 

The Revised Hasegawa Dementia Scale and mini-mental state examination scores were not statistically significantly different at any time after starting donepezil 10 mg/day. It can be anticipated that donepezil 10 mg/day will especially inhibit deterioration of cognitive function in advanced Alzheimer's disease. The incidence of adverse events was 11.5%, lower than the rate of 40% or higher recorded during previous clinical trials. Conclusions: 

The progression of cognitive dysfunction could be inhibited by increasing the dose of donepezil to 10 mg/day. It was suggested that longer-term treatment with 5 mg/day might lead to fewer adverse events when the dose is increased to 10 mg/day.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; apolipoprotein E4; dementia; donepezil; high oral dose

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-8301.2009.00291.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo Tokyo Koto Geriatric Medial Center, Juntendo University School of Medicine, and 2: Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Publication date: 2009-06-01

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• By this author: NOZAWA, Motohiro ;  ICHIMIYA, Yosuke ;  NOZAWA, Eiko ;  UTUMI, Yushi ;  SUGIYAMA, Hideki ;  MURAYAMA, Norio ;  ISEKI, Eizo ;  ARAI, Heii

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