Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39079887›Full record

SynthesisBMJ mental health2024

Efficacy, acceptability and tolerability of second-generation antipsychotics for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Wenqi Lü, Fangzhou Liu, Yuwei Zhang, Xiance He, Yongbo Hu, Huifang Xu, Xin Yang, Jin Li, Weihong Kuang

Abstract readSystematic ReviewNetwork Meta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMJ mental health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Dose-Dependent efficacy and safety of Brexpiprazole in agitation associated with dementia in Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
    Pooled it
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  6. Review
  7. Brexpiprazole for the Treatment of Agitation Associated with Dementia due to Alzheimer's Disease: Clinical Perspectives.Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Wenqi LüDepartment of Psychiatry, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4083-8257
Fangzhou LiuDepartment of Neurology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Yuwei ZhangDepartment of Psychiatry, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Xiance HeDepartment of Geriatric Psychiatry, The Fourth People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Yongbo HuDepartment of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Huifang XuDepartment of Geriatric Psychiatry, The Fourth People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Xin YangDepartment of Psychiatry, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Jin LiDepartment of Psychiatry, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Weihong KuangDepartment of Psychiatry, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China kwhhlj@scu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBehavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are highly prevalent in people living with dementia. Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are commonly used to treat BPSD, but their comparative efficacy and acceptability are unknown.

methodsThe standard mean difference (SMD) was used to pool the fixed effects of continuous outcomes. We calculated ORs with corresponding 95% credible intervals (CI) for the categorical variable. Efficacy was defined as the scores improved on the standardised scales. Acceptability was defined as the all-cause dropout rate. Tolerability was defined as the discontinuation rate due to adverse effects (AEs). The relative treatment rankings were reported with the surface under the cumulative curve. The AE outcomes included mortality, cerebrovascular adverse events (CVAEs), falls, sedation, extrapyramidal symptoms and urinary symptoms.

resultsTwenty randomised controlled trials with a total of 6374 individuals containing 5 types of SGAs (quetiapine, olanzapine, risperidone, brexpiprazole and aripiprazole) with intervention lengths ranging from 6 weeks to 36 weeks were included in this network meta-analysis. For the efficacy outcome, compared with the placebo, brexpiprazole (SMD=-1.77, 95% CI -2.80 to -0.74) was more efficacious, and brexpiprazole was better than quetiapine, olanzapine and aripiprazole. Regarding acceptability, only aripiprazole (OR=0.72, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.96) was better than the placebo, and aripiprazole was also better than brexpiprazole (OR=0.61, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.99). In terms of tolerability, olanzapine was worse than placebo (OR=6.02, 95% CI 2.87 to 12.66), risperidone (OR=3.67, 95% CI 1.66 to 8.11) and quetiapine (OR=3.71, 95% CI 1.46 to 9.42), while aripiprazole was better than olanzapine (OR=0.25, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.78). Quetiapine presented good safety in CVAE. Brexpiprazole has better safety in terms of falls and showed related safety in sedation among included SGAs.

conclusionBrexpiprazole showing great efficacy in the treatment of BPSD, with aripiprazole showing the highest acceptability and olanzapine showing the worst tolerability. The results of this study may be used to guide decision-making.

Indexed as

Antipsychotic AgentsDementiaAripiprazoleBehavioral SymptomsHumansOlanzapineRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeAntipsychotic AgentsAripiprazoleOlanzapineDelirium & cognitive disordersPSYCHIATRY

Identifiers

PMID39079887
PMCPMC11293415

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.