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Persistent treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine slows clinical progression of Alzheimer disease
Rountree SD, Chan W, Pavlik VN, Darby EJ, Siddiqui S, Doody RS.. Alzheimer's research & therapy, 2009-10-21
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Introduction There are no empiric data to support guidelines for duration of therapy with antidementia drugs. This study examined whether persistent use of antidementia drugs slows clinical progression of Alzheimer disease (AD) assessed by repeated measures on serial tests of cognition and function. Methods Six hundred forty-one probable AD patients were followed prospectively at an academic center over 20 years.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Rountree, S. D., Chan, W., Pavlik, V. N., Darby, E. J., Siddiqui, S., & Doody, R. S. (2009). Persistent treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine slows clinical progression of Alzheimer disease. Alzheimer's research & therapy. https://doi.org/10.1186/alzrt7
Vancouver
Rountree SD, Chan W, Pavlik VN, Darby EJ, Siddiqui S, Doody RS. Persistent treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine slows clinical progression of Alzheimer disease. Alzheimer's research & therapy. 2009. doi:10.1186/alzrt7. PMID: 19845950.
BibTeX
@article{rountree2009-19845950,
author = {Rountree, S. D. and Chan, W. and Pavlik, V. N. and Darby, E. J. and Siddiqui, S. and Doody, R. S.},
title = {{Persistent treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine slows clinical progression of Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Alzheimer's research \& therapy},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1186/alzrt7},
pmid = {19845950},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/alzrt7}
}
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Key findings
- This study examined whether persistent use of antidementia drugs slows clinical progression of Alzheimer disease (AD) assessed by repeated measures on serial tests of cognition and function.
- Methods Six hundred forty-one probable AD patients were followed prospectively at an academic center over 20 years.
- Cumulative drug exposure was expressed as a persistency index (PI) reflecting total years of drug use divided by total years of disease symptoms.
- Baseline and annual testing consisted of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog), Baylor Profound Mental Status Examination (BPMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB), Physical Self-Maintenance Scale (PSMS), and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL).
Why it matters
This study followed 641 probable Alzheimer's disease patients over 20 years and examined whether persistent use of cholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine slows clinical progression. It suggests that persistent antidementia drug use may slow progression, but it is an observational study and does not show a cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer's research & therapy) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer s Research & Therapy: journal h-index 146 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2009 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 181 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.5 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 20 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Rachelle Smith Doody: h-index 97 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Baylor College of Medicine: institution h-index 1,607 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19845950) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/alzrt7
- PubMed: 19845950
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s Research & Therapy →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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