Improvement in behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia by rivastigmine patch in a group of Italian elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease

Background: Behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPSD) are now known to be frequently associated to cognitive and functional decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our study proposes to evaluate the effect of rivastigmine patch in a group of elderly patients affected by AD and BPSD. Methods: Single-center retroscpective study of a cohort of 315 subjects affected by cognitive impairment and BPSD managed from 2012 to 2015. Were selected 100 patients with neuropsychiatric inventory score (NPI)>10/144 and divided into two groups: AD-rivastgmine group, treated with rivastigmine patch, and AD-group, whom therapy with ACheI or memantine was contraindicated and who carried out other specific drugs. Results: Analysis of the data shows that the decrease in the total score of NPI after six months is instead statistically significant of observation, for both types of groups. As for the analysis of the individual items of the scale NPI there was a decrease in the average score with "agitation" and "anxiety" that reach statistical significance, an improvement of the symptoms in the group trated with rivastigmine. At last treated patients with Rivastigmine show to be more preserved in both simple and complex activities of daily life. Conclusions: Overall analysis of the data shows that the value of NPI is reduced significantly with both types of treatment, although in patients treated with Rivastigmine show a better control of sleep disorders, while in the group treated with other drugs a better control of disturbances such as agitation and anxiety is detected.