In a study in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), the addition of Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium tablets) 80 mg to Aricept® (donepezil HCl) 10 mg showed no significant differences in cognition or global function (key measures of Alzheimer's progression) compared to placebo plus Aricept 10 mg. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were seen on various cognitive, behavioral and functional secondary endpoints. However, the Lipitor arm was not associated with greater cognitive decline than the placebo arm in this trial. The results were presented today at the annual American Academy of Neurology meeting in Chicago.
The 18-month study, called Lipitor's Effect on Alzheimer's Dementia (LEADe), included 640 patients and is the largest statin study in Alzheimer's disease.
