Memantine (Ebixa) in clinical practice - results of an observational study

Abstract

Background/aims: In a post-marketing observational study, the efficacy and tolerability of memantine were examined in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: The patients were treated with 20 mg/day of memantine for a 6-month period. The efficacy of memantine was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Nurses' Observation Scale for Geriatric Patients (NOSGER) and the Explorationsmodul Demenz (EMD) scale. In addition, a global assessment was made by the physician.

Results: After 6 months of open-label treatment with memantine, the patients' cognitive function, ability to perform daily activities and global performance all showed a marked improvement. In the overall evaluation by the physician, improvement or stabilisation had been achieved by 78.8% of patients after 6 months of therapy. Memantine also demonstrated an excellent tolerability profile.

Conclusion: The results of this naturalistic study support the significant efficacy and tolerability of memantine that has been previously demonstrated in randomised, controlled clinical Alzheimer's disease trials.