Background: This pragmatic clinical trial aims to determine the efficacy and safety of add-on Astragalus for cognition and non- cognition in patients with of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease complicated with orthostatic hypotension in orthostatic hypotension, elucidate the underlying mechanisms, identify related response predictors, and explore effective drug components. Methods: This is an add-on, assessor-blinded, parallel, pragmatic, randomized controlled trial. At least 66 adults with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and OH aged \>30 years will be recruited. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive 24 weeks of routine care or add-on low dose Astragalus or high dose Astragalus group. The primary efficacy outcome will be measured by the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, Chinese version. Secondary efficacy outcome assessment will include neuropsychological tests, blood pressure, plasma biomarkers, multimodal electroencephalograms, and neuroimaging. Safety outcome measures will include physical examinations, vital signs, electrocardiography, laboratory tests (such as hematologic and blood chemical tests), and adverse event records.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
66
Participants will be educated on ways to avoid induced hypotensive states, such as avoiding prolonged standing, standing after exercise, being nervous, eating several carbohydrate-rich foods, drinking alcohol, and being in a warm environment (such as a sauna). Participants will be encouraged in a comfortable home environment, such as a sit-down bath. If there are no contraindications, they are advised to increase their salt intake to approximately 10 grams per day and adjust their fluid intake to 2-3 liters per day. They will also be encouraged to perform lower-body strength training and moderate, non-strenuous activities. Seriously ill patients will be proposed to raise the head of their bed during sleep, wear tight clothing, eat small meals, and reduce alcohol intake.Concomitant treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, or both was allowed.
Participants received an additional 10g of astragalus per day.
Participants received an additional 20g of astragalus per day.
Fujian Medical University Union Hospital
Fuzhou, Fujian, China
RECRUITINGThe primary efficacy outcome measure will be the absolute change in the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, Chinese version score between baseline and week 48.
The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, Chinese version scale scores range from 0 to 75, with higher scores indicating better.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute scores change in the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test [ROCF] recall score between baseline and week 48.
The ROCF scale scores range from 0 to 36, with higher scores indicating better.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute scores change in the ROCF-copy score between baseline and week 48.
The ROCF copy scale scores range from 0 to 36, with higher scores indicating better.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute scores change in the Clock-Drawing Test score between baseline and week 48.
The Clock-Drawing Test scale scores range from 0 to 5, with higher scores indicating better.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute scores change in the Trail Making Test-A score between baseline and week 48.
The Trail Making Test-A scores range from 0 to 25, with higher scores indicating better.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute scores change in the Digit Span Forward score between baseline and week 48.
TheDigit Span Forward score scores range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating better.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute scores change in the Trail Making Test-B score between baseline and week 48.
The Trail Making Test-B scores range from 0 to 25, with higher scores indicating better.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute scores change in the Digit Span Backward score between baseline and week 48.
TheDigit Span Forward score scores range from 0 to 9, with higher scores indicating better.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute scores change in the Verbal Fluency Test score between baseline and week 48.
The Verbal Fluency Test score scores range from 0 to 14, with higher scores indicating better.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute scores change in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale score between baseline and week 48.
The Hamilton Anxiety Scale score scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating worse.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute scores change in the Hamilton Depression Scale score between baseline and week 48.
The Hamilton Anxiety Scale score scores range from 0 to 96, with higher scores indicating worse.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the blood pressure between baseline and week 48.
To observe the changes of orthostatic blood pressure in patients
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the level of plasma β-amyloid40 (ng/ml) between baseline and week 48.
Amyloid is one of the main biomarkers of dementia
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the level of plasma β-amyloid42 (ng/ml) between baseline and week 48.
Amyloid is one of the main biomarkers of dementia
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the level of plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (ng/ml) between baseline and week 48.
Glial fibrillary acidic protein is one of the main biomarkers of dementia
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the level of plasma neurofilament light chain (ng/ml) between baseline and week 48.
Neurofilament light chain is one of the main biomarkers of dementia
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the level of plasma hyper-phosphorylated tau-181 (ng/ml) between baseline and week 48.
Neurofilament light chain is one of the main biomarkers of dementia
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the P300 between baseline and week 48.
P300 is the main indicator of EEG, and its normal value range is between 320 and 420.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the VP300 between baseline and week 48.
VP300 is the main indicator of EEG, and its normal value range is between 320 and 420.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the MMN between baseline and week 48.
MMN is the main indicator of EEG, and its normal value range is between 100 and 210.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the neurite density index between baseline and week 48.
Neurite density index is the main indicator of neurite-oriented diffusion and density imaging (NODDI) .
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the orientation dispersion index between baseline and week 48.
Orientation dispersion index is the main indicator of neurite-oriented diffusion and density imaging (NODDI) .
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the isotropic volume fraction between baseline and week 48.
Isotropic volume fraction is the main indicator of neurite-oriented diffusion and density imaging (NODDI) .
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in theheart rate variability between baseline and week 48.
The KARDi2/4-B autonomic nervous function mapping ECG system (Nanjing Left and Right Brain Biomedical Company, NeuroMed, China) will record and analyze millivolt-level signals of ECG oscillations, complete the frequency domain and time domain index detection of heart rate variability in 3 min, and generate an autonomic nervous function status step map.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for 48 weeks after baseline.
The absolute change in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MOCA) score between baseline and week 48.
The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, Chinese version scale scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better.
Time frame: Participants will be followed up for48 weeks after baseline.
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