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Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a neurocognitive state between normal cognitive aging and dementia, with evidence of neuropsychological changes but insufficient functional decline to warrant a diagnosis of dementia. Individuals with MCI are at increased risk for progression to dementia; and an appreciable proportion display neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), also a known risk factor for dementia. Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is thought to be an underdiagnosed contributor to MCI/dementia. The Ginkgo biloba extract, EGb 761®, is increasingly being used for the symptomatic treatment of cognitive disorders with/without CVD, due to its known neuroprotective effects and cerebrovascular benefits. Aims: To present consensus opinion from the ASian Clinical Expert group on Neurocognitive Disorders (ASCEND) regarding the role of EGb 761® in MCI. Materials & Methods: The ASCEND Group reconvened in September 2019 to present and critically assess the current evidence on the general management of MCI, including the efficacy and safety of EGb 761® as a treatment option. Results: EGb 761® has demonstrated symptomatic improvement in at least four randomized trials, in terms of cognitive performance, memory, recall and recognition, attention and concentration, anxiety, and NPS. There is also evidence that EGb 761® may help delay progression from MCI to dementia in some individuals. Discussion: EGb 761® is currently recommended in multiple guidelines for the symptomatic treatment of MCI. Due to its beneficial effects on cerebrovascular blood flow, it is reasonable to expect that EGb 761® may benefit MCI patients with underlying CVD. Conclusion: As an expert group, we suggest it is clinically appropriate to incorporate EGb 761® as part of the multidomain intervention for MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Ginkgo biloba special extract, EGb 761® has been widely used in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: To guide clinical practice in the Asian region, the Asian Clinical Expert Group on Neurocognitive Disorders compiled evidence‐based consensus recommendations regarding the use of EGb 761® in neurocognitive disorders with/without cerebrovascular disease. Results: Key randomized trials and robust meta‐analyses have demonstrated significant improvement in cognitive function, neuropsychiatric symptoms, activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life with EGb 761®versus placebo in patients with mild‐to‐moderate dementia. In those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), EGb 761® has also demonstrated significant symptomatic improvement versus placebo. World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry guidelines list EGb 761® with the same strength of evidence as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) antagonists e.g. memantine (Grade 3 recommendation; Level B evidence). Only EGb 761® had Level B evidence in improving cognition, behaviour, and ADL in both AD and vascular dementia patients. Safety analyses show EGb 761® to have a positive risk‐benefit profile. While concerns have been raised regarding a possible increased bleeding risk, several randomized trials and two meta‐analyses have not supported this association. Conclusions: The Expert Group foresee an important role for EGb 761®, used alone or as an add‐on therapy, in the treatment of MCI and dementias, particularly when patients do not derive benefit from acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or NMDA antagonists. EGb 761® should be used in alignment with local clinical practice guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We evaluated the impact of pharmacist intervention on cognitive outcomes in patients with schizophrenia by focusing on anticholinergic discontinuation. Patients and methods: A prospective, open-label, randomized, controlled study was conducted. Patients with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to either the pharmacist intervention or usual care groups. In the pharmacist intervention group, the pharmacist identified drug-related problems (DRPs) and provided a pharmacotherapy suggestion, while there was no intervention in the usual care group. The primary outcome was mean change from baseline of executive function by using Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) perseverative errors within the pharmacist intervention group at week 12. Results: A total of 30 patients completed the study (13 in the pharmacist intervention group and 17 in the usual care group). WCST perseverative errors at the end of the study within the pharmacist intervention group improved significantly from baseline (P=0.003). DRPs at week 12 were reduced by 85.19% and 9.76% in the pharmacist intervention and usual care groups, respectively. The most common intervention was the discontinuation of anticholinergics in patients without extrapyramidal side effects. Conclusion: Added-on pharmacist intervention in a multidisciplinary team could help to improve cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia by reducing DRPs and optimizing the drug therapy regimen, especially for anticholinergic discontinuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Ginkgo biloba special extract, EGb 761® has been widely used in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: To guide clinical practice in the Asian region, the Asian Clinical Expert Group on Neurocognitive Disorders compiled evidence‐based consensus recommendations regarding the use of EGb 761® in neurocognitive disorders with/without cerebrovascular disease. Results: Key randomized trials and robust meta‐analyses have demonstrated significant improvement in cognitive function, neuropsychiatric symptoms, activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life with EGb 761®versus placebo in patients with mild‐to‐moderate dementia. In those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), EGb 761® has also demonstrated significant symptomatic improvement versus placebo. World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry guidelines list EGb 761® with the same strength of evidence as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) antagonists e.g. memantine (Grade 3 recommendation; Level B evidence). Only EGb 761® had Level B evidence in improving cognition, behaviour, and ADL in both AD and vascular dementia patients. Safety analyses show EGb 761® to have a positive risk‐benefit profile. While concerns have been raised regarding a possible increased bleeding risk, several randomized trials and two meta‐analyses have not supported this association. Conclusions: The Expert Group foresee an important role for EGb 761®, used alone or as an add‐on therapy, in the treatment of MCI and dementias, particularly when patients do not derive benefit from acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or NMDA antagonists. EGb 761® should be used in alignment with local clinical practice guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a neurocognitive state between normal cognitive aging and dementia, with evidence of neuropsychological changes but insufficient functional decline to warrant a diagnosis of dementia. Individuals with MCI are at increased risk for progression to dementia; and an appreciable proportion display neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), also a known risk factor for dementia. Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is thought to be an underdiagnosed contributor to MCI/dementia. The Ginkgo biloba extract, EGb 761 ® , is increasingly being used for the symptomatic treatment of cognitive disorders with/without CVD, due to its known neuroprotective effects and cerebrovascular benefits., Aims: To present consensus opinion from the ASian Clinical Expert group on Neurocognitive Disorders (ASCEND) regarding the role of EGb 761 ® in MCI., Materials & Methods: The ASCEND Group reconvened in September 2019 to present and critically assess the current evidence on the general management of MCI, including the efficacy and safety of EGb 761 ® as a treatment option., Results: EGb 761 ® has demonstrated symptomatic improvement in at least four randomized trials, in terms of cognitive performance, memory, recall and recognition, attention and concentration, anxiety, and NPS. There is also evidence that EGb 761 ® may help delay progression from MCI to dementia in some individuals., Discussion: EGb 761 ® is currently recommended in multiple guidelines for the symptomatic treatment of MCI. Due to its beneficial effects on cerebrovascular blood flow, it is reasonable to expect that EGb 761 ® may benefit MCI patients with underlying CVD., Conclusion: As an expert group, we suggest it is clinically appropriate to incorporate EGb 761 ® as part of the multidomain intervention for MCI., (© 2020 The Authors. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The 'Asia-Pacific Expert Panel (APEX) for donepezil 23 mg' met in November 2015 to review evidence for the recently approved high dose of donepezil and to provide recommendations to help physicians in Asia make informed clinical decisions about using donepezil 23 mg in patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease (AD)., Summary: In a global phase III study (study 326) in patients with moderate-to-severe AD, donepezil 23 mg/day demonstrated significantly greater cognitive benefits versus donepezil 10 mg/day, with a between-treatment difference in mean change in the Severe Impairment Battery score of 2.2 points (p < 0.001) in the overall population and 3.1 points (p < 0.001) in patients with advanced AD. A subanalysis of study 326 demonstrated that the benefits and risks associated with donepezil 23 mg/day versus donepezil 10 mg/day in Asian patients with moderate-to-severe AD were comparable to those in the global study population., Key Message: Donepezil 23 mg is a valuable treatment for patients with AD, particularly those with advanced disease. The APEX emphasized the importance of patient selection (AD severity, tolerability of lower doses of donepezil, and absence of contraindications), a stepwise titration strategy for dose escalation, and appropriate monitoring and counseling of patients and caregivers in the management of patients with AD.

Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of ramipril 2.5 and 5 mg once daily on the degree and homogeneity of 24-hour blood pressure reduction in essential hypertensive Thai patients., Material and Method: Nineteen male subjects, aged 30 to 60 years, with newly diagnosed essential hypertension were evaluated using the 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (24-h ABP) measurement., Results: Twelve subjects responded and/or normalized with ramipril once daily, where the office and 24-h ABP were decreased significantly from baseline (p < 0.01). The percentage and magnitude of 24-h SBP/DBP loads after treatment were significantly decreased from 92 +/- 9.7/91 +/- 15.9 to 67 +/- 23.8/65 +/- 27.6 (p < 0.01) and from 23 +/- 10.6/16 +/- 5.3 mmHg to 17 +/- 10.3/10 +/- 4.8 mmHg ( p < 0.05). Trough to peak ratio for SBP/DBP was 0.59/0.52 (overall estimated) and 0.68 +/- 0.23/0.52 +/- 0.22 (individual estimated), while the smoothness index was 0.89/1.03., Conclusion: Ramipril 2.5 and 5 mg once daily exerted the smooth 24-hour blood pressure reduction in essential hypertensive Thai patients.

Background: Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen have been shown to be effective in treating migraine., Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of low-dose ibuprofen for treatment of acute migraine attack., Methods: Clinical trials were identified through electronic searches (MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBM review, and the Cochrane Library) up to November 2006 and historical searches of relevant articles. Studies were included if they (1) were double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials that evaluated ibuprofen tablets in moderate or severe migraine attacks in patients greater than 16 years of age, (2) evaluated at least one migraine attack, and (3) reported headache relief, pain-free, sustained pain-free, or relief of other migraine-associated symptoms at 2 hours. The MeSH search terms used were migraine disorders, headache, vascular headache, ibuprofen, adult, and clinical trial. This was followed by a key word search using migraine, cephalalgia, and cephalgia as key words. The reference lists of relevant articles were also scanned to identify possible published trials. There was no language restriction. Two authors extracted data independently. Disagreements were resolved through discussion., Results: Ibuprofen 200 and 400 mg were more effective than placebo in reducing pain intensity and eliminating pain (pain-free) within 2 hours in adults with moderate or severe migraine attacks. For the 200 mg dose, the number needed to treat was 8 (95% CI 5 to 20) for headache relief and 13 (95% CI 8 to 50) for pain-free. The risk ratios for headache relief and pain-free were 1.89 (95% CI 1.45 to 2.46; p < 0.0001) and 2.15 (95% CI 1.24 to 3.73; p = 0.0063), respectively, for ibuprofen 400 mg. The 24-hour sustained pain-free outcome with ibuprofen was no better than with placebo. Ibuprofen 400 mg increased the chance of relief in photophobia and phonophobia by 30% (95% CI 8 to 57; p < 0.01) and 49% (95% CI 23 to 81; p < 0.0001), respectively., Conclusions: The available evidence suggests that ibuprofen 200 and 400 mg are effective in reducing headache intensity and rendering patients pain-free at 2 hours. Photophobia and phonophobia improved with 400 mg dosing. Due to the limited data and the shortcomings of the available evidence, further studies are needed.