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| Pfizer's Celebrex Doesn't Prevent Memory Loss in the Elderly By Shannon Pettypiece May 12, 2008 (Bloomberg) -- Pfizer Inc.'s arthritis pill Celebrex and the generic painkiller naproxen don't prevent deterioration of memory and reasoning in older adults with a family history of Alzheimer's disease, a study found. The findings contradict previous research that suggested the medications, used to quell inflammation that causes joint pain, may help prevent or treat the loss of memory and function of Alzheimer's, the study's authors said in an article released today by the Archives of Neurology. Patients shouldn't take the medicines for Alzheimer's because there is no benefit and the drugs may pose a risk to the heart, the study's authors said. Past research has found that Celebrex increases the chance of heart attack and stroke at higher doses. "At this point in time, we don't suggest using anti- inflammatory drugs for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease," said Barbara Marin, an associate professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University and an author of the study. ``We are hoping to follow people to see if there are any long-term effects.'' There are 4.5 million Americans with Alzheimer's disease and that number is expected to soar in the coming years as the population ages. About 10 million baby boomers will develop it eventually, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Patients taking naproxen faired worse than those on a placebo suggesting the drug may speed memory deterioration, though further study is needed to determine a definitive link, researchers said. Inflammation Inflammation has been seen in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, prompting researchers to theorize that reducing inflammation might reverse or prevent the symptoms of the disease. Some previous studies have shown drugs that reduced inflammation had a benefit on cognition. Those studies, however, observed only patients on the pills while today's research compared those taking the pill to those on a placebo. It is unclear if inflammation causes Alzheimer's or is a bi-product. The researchers gave 2,117 patients seven tests annually during an average of two years to measure their cognitive abilities. The test included questions, such as spelling words backward, remembering a list of items for 15 minutes, naming things in a grocery store, knowing the president's name and the season of the year, and remembering a series of digits. They were followed up for six months. The study was paid for with a grant from the National Institute on Aging and stopped early after an increased number of patients on Celebrex had heart attacks or strokes in other studies. Patient were taking 200 milligrams of Celebrex twice a day, more than double the most common dosage. Story sourced from www.bloomberg.com |