Efficacy and adverse effects of memantine treatment for Alzheimer's disease from randomized controlled trials.

The role of memantine as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been controversial. In clinical trials, a high dropout rate and numerous adverse events associated with memantine have been observed. However, given the relative scarcity of effective treatments for AD it would seem prudent to re-examine existing evidence to determine whether or not memantine should be used. Eight databases were utilized for randomized controlled trials that were published prior to December 31, 2013 and were according with the inclusion criteria. Trial methods, clinical characteristics, outcomes, and adverse events were extracted and analyzed with Review Manager 5.2. We obtained 2293 studies and determined that 13 of those studies met the inclusion criteria. Memantine therapy showed significant benefits to cognition, mental state, activities of daily life, the clinician's global impression in term with MMSE, SIB, NPI, ADCS-ADL19, CIBIC-Plus, respectively. Memantine therapy did not significantly increase the incidence of total adverse events, serious adverse events, death but it did increase the risk for somnolence.