Choosing Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Clinical Trial Populations

This study modeled Alzheimer’s disease prevention clinical trials in order to assist investigators in making trial design choices. The authors used data from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set to model trial sample sizes, the numbers needed to enroll to account for dropout, and the numbers needed to screen to successfully complete enrollment. Researchers then examined how enrichment strategies affected each component of the model. For example, enriching for subjective memory complaints reduced sample sizes and numbers needed to enroll more than age enrichment, but increased the number needed to screen. The researchers concluded that prevention trials can enroll elderly participants with minimal effect on trial retention and that enriching for older individuals with memory complaints might afford efficient trial designs.

Grill JD, Monsell SE. Choosing Alzheimer’s disease prevention clinical trial populations. Neurobiology of Aging 2014;35(3):466-471.