Dextromethorphan Plus Quinidine Helps Quell Agitation

Abstract

norepinephrine, and possibly other old with probable Alzheimer’s disease, group continued receiving the drug neurotransmitters. clinically significant agitation, and combination in stage 2, whereas the plaPublished in the Journal of the Mini-Mental State Examination score cebo group was stratified by response American Medical Association, the findof 8–28. Clinically significant agitation and re-randomized in a 1:1 ratio to ings are from a 10-week, 42-center was defined as poorly organized and dextromethorphan-quinidine (n = 59) double-blind, placebo-controlled study purposeless psychomotor activity and or placebo (n = 60). A Clinical Global led by Jeffrey L. Cummings, MD, ScD, aggressive verbal, aggressive physical, or Impressions-Severity (CGIS) agitation from the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo nonaggressive physical behaviors. score up to 3 and a decrease of at least Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas In stage 1 of the trial, participants 25% in the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (JAMA 2015;314:1242–54.). Conducted were randomized in a 3:4 ratio to receive (NPI) Agitation/Aggression domain from August 2012 to August 2014, the dextromethorphan-quinidine (n = 93) or score constituted a response to treattrial enrolled 1,220 patients 50–90 years placebo (n = 127). The active treatment ment at the end of stage 1. Dextromethorphan Plus Quinidine Helps Quell Agitation