Brexpiprazole for the Treatment of Agitation in Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review, Bayesian Meta-analysis, and Meta-regression.
Anderson Matheus Pereira da Silva, Luciano Falcão, Ocilio Ribeiro Gonçalves, Filipe Virgilio Ribeiro, Pedro Lucas Machado Magalhães, Mariana Lee Han, Paweł Łajczak, Mariana Letícia de Bastos Maximiano, Henrique Cal, Eryvelton de Souza Franco, Maria Bernadete de Sousa Maia
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Agitation is a common and distressing neuropsychiatric symptom in Alzheimer's disease (AD), affecting up to half of patients and contributing to faster cognitive decline and caregiver burden. Brexpiprazole, a serotonin-dopamine modulator, has been evaluated for this indication, but uncertainties remain regarding its efficacy, safety, and appropriate use in older adults.
Objective: We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of brexpiprazole for the treatment of agitation in older adults with AD through a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook, we included RCTs comparing brexpiprazole (0.5-3 mg/day) with placebo in older adults with a clinical diagnosis of AD. Primary outcomes were agitation severity (measured using the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory [CMAI]), clinical impression (clinical global impression-severity scale [CGI-S]), neuropsychiatric symptoms (Neuropsychiatric Inventory [NPI]), and adverse events. Risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled using a random-effects model. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed using frequentist and Bayesian models in R (version 4.3.0).
Results: A total of five RCTs (N = 1770) met the inclusion criteria. Brexpiprazole was associated with a modest reduction in agitation CMAI (MD - 5.79; 95% CI - 9.55 to - 2.04; prediction interval: - 14.07 to 2.49) and improved CGI-S scores (MD - 0.23; 95% CI - 0.32 to - 0.13; prediction interval: - 0.39 to - 0.06). No significant differences were found in NPI scores. Adverse events such as extrapyramidal symptoms and daytime somnolence occurred more frequently with brexpiprazole but with wide and nonsignificant intervals. Meta-regression did not identify dose or duration as effect modifiers.
Conclusions: Brexpiprazole may offer modest short-term benefits for agitation in AD without cognitive worsening, but safety signals remain imprecise. However, prediction intervals indicate considerable uncertainty, and its use should be individualized and closely monitored. Future trials should prioritize long-term outcomes and patient-centered measures.
期刊介绍：
CNS Drugs promotes rational pharmacotherapy within the disciplines of clinical psychiatry and neurology. The Journal includes:
- Overviews of contentious or emerging issues.
- Comprehensive narrative reviews that provide an authoritative source of information on pharmacological approaches to managing neurological and psychiatric illnesses.
- Systematic reviews that collate empirical evidence to answer a specific research question, using explicit, systematic methods as outlined by the PRISMA statement.
- Adis Drug Reviews of the properties and place in therapy of both newer and established drugs in neurology and psychiatry.
- Original research articles reporting the results of well-designed studies with a strong link to clinical practice, such as clinical pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies, clinical trials, meta-analyses, outcomes research, and pharmacoeconomic and pharmacoepidemiological studies.
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