Quetiapine Oral Solution in Alzheimer’s Disease: Efficacy and Dosage Insights from a Real-World Retrospective Study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Li, Kuan-Ying^{a; b; c} | Lin, Bin-Tse^d | Hsu, Shu-Ting^e | Chien, Ching-Fang^{a; b; c} | Chang, Yang-Pei^{a; b; c} | Yang, Yuan-Han^{a; b; c; d; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan | [b] Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan | [c] Neuroscience Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan | [d] School of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan | [e] School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Yuan-Han Yang, MD, PhD, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, No. 68, Jhongjua 3rd Rd., Cianjin Dist., Kaohsiung City 80145, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 7 921 1101; Fax: +886 7 213 8400; E-mail: endlessyhy@gmail.com.

Abstract: Background:Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are distressing for patients with dementia, often accelerating functional decline and nursing home placement. Medications such as quetiapine are used to alleviate NPS, but their side effects require cautious use. Liquid formulations such as quetiapine oral suspension suit specific populations; however, real-world data on their use in patients with dementia are limited. Objective:The purpose of this retrospective, naturalistic study was to provide preliminary data on the effects of treatment with quetiapine oral suspension on behavioral and psychiatric disturbances in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) outpatients in Taiwan. Methods:Between January 2022 and June 2023, data were collected from outpatients with a diagnosis of probable AD who received treatment with Qting® (quetiapine oral solution 25 mg/ml). Primary outcome measures were changes in Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) total score and its sub-items from baseline to the endpoint. Results:We recruited 66 AD patients with a mean age of 72.1±7.6 years, most of whom were female (69.7%). Twenty-three patients had data on neuropsychological test and NPI scores before and after quetiapine treatment. There was no significant change in global cognitive function from baseline to the endpoint. A significant reduction in NPI total score after quetiapine treatment was noted, while the effect on NPI sub-items was limited. The average maintenance dose was 1.5±0.6 ml. Conclusions:We demonstrated our clinical experience of the use of quetiapine oral solution in AD patients with NPS. Our results showed that quetiapine oral solution treatment significantly improved these symptoms at a relatively low dose.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, antipsychotic, liquid, neuropsychiatric symptoms, quetiapine

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-231007

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 97, no. 2, pp. 805-811, 2024