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Bruno Vellas

Publications and source records attributed to Bruno Vellas.

44 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Efficacy of donepezil on behavioral symptoms in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVE: This subanalysis of a large, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examined the prevalence of behavioral symptoms in moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the effect of treatment with donepezil. METHODS: Two hundred ninety patients with moderate to severe AD (standardized Mini-Mental State Examination scores 5-17) were randomized to receive 24 weeks of once-daily doses of donepezil 5 mg/day for 28 days, and 10 mg/day thereafter per the clinician's judgment (n = 144), or placebo (n = 146). The outcome measure of interest was the 12-item Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). RESULTS: Baseline demographics were similar between the treatment groups. Least squares mean (+/- SE) baseline NPI 12-item total scores were 19.55 +/- 1.48 and 19.30 +/- 1.45, respectively. At baseline, the most common symptoms were apathy/indifference (67%), aberrant motor behavior (53%), depression/dysphoria (52%), anxiety (49%), and agitation/aggression (45%). NPI individual item change from baseline scores at Week 24 using a last observation carried forward (LOCF) analysis showed benefits with donepezil treatment compared with placebo for all items, with significant treatment differences for depression/dysphoria, anxiety, and apathy/indifference (p < .05). Symptoms present at baseline that improved significantly for donepezil- compared with placebo-treated patients at Week 24 LOCF included anxiety, apathy/indifference, and irritability/lability (p < .05). When patients who were not receiving psychoactive medications at baseline were analyzed separately, significant improvements in NPI (continued) 12-item total score were observed with donepezil compared with placebo at most visits and at Week 24 LOCF (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral symptoms of the magnitude observed in this moderate to severe AD population improved with donepezil.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Agitation and aggressiveness among the elderly population living in nursing or retirement homes in France.

The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological features of agitation and aggressiveness in elderly individuals living in French nursing and retirement homes in the year 2000. Data were collected on the type, time of onset, and duration of symptoms, medical evaluation and treatment, and medical and psychiatric comorbidities of the elderly patients. The most frequently reported behavior was verbal aggressiveness and the least reported behavior was physical aggressiveness. A triggering factor initiating the symptoms of agitation or aggressiveness was reported in 61% of the cases. In 61% of the study population, there were several morbidities reported as caused by the agitated or aggressive behavior (anorexia, weight loss, dehydration). A specialist was consulted for nearly half of the agitated or aggressive patients. For 55% of the patients, a new medication regimen was started or the administration of previous medications was modified, the most frequently prescribed drugs being antipsychotics. The results of our study and others show that agitation and aggression have a substantial impact on the lives of the elderly population, as well as on the lives of their family members and caretakers.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

Is there a relationship between fat-free soft tissue mass and low cognitive function? Results from a study of 7,105 women.

OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that low fat-free soft tissue mass and cognitive impairment are independently associated. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Five geographic areas of France. PARTICIPANTS: Seven thousand one hundred five community-dwelling women aged 75 and older recruited from electoral rolls between 1992 and 1994. MEASUREMENTS: Fat-free soft tissue mass, body fat mass, and bone mineral density were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Study participants were assessed for cognitive impairment using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire and divided into two groups according to their scores. Logistic regression models were used to calculate multivariate-adjusted differences in body composition between two groups of subjects according to their cognitive function. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, compared with women in the highest quartile of fat-free soft tissue mass, women in the lowest quartile had an odds ratio of 1.43 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-1.91) for cognitive impairment. Low fat mass was also associated with lower cognitive function, with an odds ratio of 1.35 (95% CI = 1.01-1.79) for the lower quartile of fat mass compared with the highest quartile. There was no association between cognitive impairment and bone mineral density. CONCLUSIONS: This finding supports the hypothesis that low muscle mass is associated with cognitive impairment in older women. These two components represent major causes of frailty and functional decline in older people and could have some common mechanisms. Nevertheless, these results do not predict the causal variable.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Family history of dementia does not influence the progression of Alzheimer's disease at two years: results from the REAL.FR Study.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a family history of dementia in a first-degree relative influenced the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) after two years of follow-up. Patients were recruited in the REAL.FR (Réseau sur la Maladie d'Alzheimer Français) study and underwent behavioral, global, nutritional, and medical evaluation with assessment of cognitive function and independence every six months. At inclusion, 113 patients reported a family history of dementia, and 358 patients had no family history of dementia. There was no statistical difference for any factors between the two groups at baseline. After two years of follow-up, a similar percentage of patients were still followed in each group, and although most parameters showed significant deterioration, there was no difference between the two groups, indicating that a family history of dementia does not appear to influence the progression of AD.

Activities of Daily Living↗