A randomized controlled study on effects of ibuprofen on cognitive progression of Alzheimer’s disease

Background and aims: Epidemiological studies have examined the association between the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recently, a variety of experimental studies indicates that a subset of NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or flurbiprofen, also have Aβ-lowering properties in both AD transgenic mice and cell cultures of peripheral, glial and neuronal origin. In this trial, we evaluated whether the non-selective NSAID ibuprofen slows disease progression in patients with mild to moderate AD. Methods: This was a 12-month multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group trial. Participants with mild-moderate AD (Mini-Mental State Examination score >15, 0.20). In intention-to-treat analysis, ADAS-Cog score worsening was similar in the two groups (p=0.951, treatment difference= 0.1, CI-2.7; 2.9). No differences were found for any secondary outcomes. In a subsample of genotyped patients, ApoE e4 carriers treated with ibuprofen (n=27) were the only group without significant cognitive decline. Conclusions: Ibuprofen, if used for relatively short periods of time and although well tolerated thanks to gastroprotection, does not seem to be effective in tertiary prevention of mild-moderate AD. Our results suggest the need to examine whether differences in the response to NSAIDs exist, based on ApoE e4 carrier status.