Conditions: Alzheimer's Disease
Keywords: rivastigmine，Alzheimer's Disease, transdermal patch
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 859
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the 5cm\^2 and 10cm\^2 doses of rivastigmine transdermal patch in terms of efficacy and safety in patients with probable Alzheimer's Disease (MMSE \[Mini Mental State Examination\] 10-20). A 52-week extension phase evaluated the safety and tolerability of long-term treatment by rivastigmine transdermal patch in patients with probable Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

Detailed description:
Patients were randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to one of the 3 treatment arms (placebo, rivastigmine 5 cm\^2 and rivastigmine 10 cm\^2) in a ratio of 1:1:1. During the Double-blind treatment phase, patients entered a 16-week Titration Period followed by an 8-week Maintenance Period. During the open-label extension phase, all patients started treatment with a 2.5 cm\^2 patch and the dose was increased to 10 cm\^2 over a 16-week titration period, followed by a maintenance period of 36 weeks.

Arms:
arm 1: Participants received daily matching placebo patch for the duration of the 24-week double-blind treatment phase of the study. arm 2: During the 16-week titration period patients received daily rivastigmine 2.5 cm\^2 patch for the first 4 weeks and thereafter daily rivastigmine 5 cm\^2 patch. For patients who experienced intolerability, the dose was adjusted to rivastigmine 2.5 cm\^2 daily. Patients then entered the 8-week maintenance period during which time they continued to receive the dose of rivastigmine they were taking at the end of the titration period. arm 3: During the 16-week titration period patients received daily rivastigmine 2.5 cm\^2 patch for the first 4 weeks, rivastigmine 5 cm\^2 patch for the next 4 weeks, rivastigmine 7.5 cm\^2 patch for the next 4 weeks and then rivastigmine 10 cm\^2 patch for the final 4 weeks. For patients who experienced intolerability, the dose was adjusted downward. Patients then entered the 8-week maintenance period during which time they continued to receive the dose of rivastigmine they were taking at the end of the titration period.

Interventions: intervention 1: Rivastigmine transdermal patch intervention 2: Placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Rivastigmine transdermal patch was provided in the following sizes and doses:

2.5 cm\^2 (4.5 mg), 5 cm\^2 (9 mg), 7.5 cm\^2 (13.5 mg), and 10 cm\^2 (18 mg). The caregiver applied one patch on the back of a patient, placed alternately from the right to the left side at approximately the same time each day. intervention 2: Placebo transdermal patch was provided in the following sizes: 2.5 cm\^2, 5 cm\^2, 7.5 cm\^2 and 10 cm\^2. The caregiver applied one patch on the back of a patient, placed alternately from the right to the left side at approximately the same time each day.

Protocol document: