Role of traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in Alzheimer's disease: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

The role of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been evaluated in many studies. We performed a meta-analysis to summarize the existing evidence on the relation between use of classical NSAIDs and AD. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the role of classical NSAIDs in AD was searched using different search engines. The RCTs in patients who had the degree of AD measured on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) or AD Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) were included in the study. The RCTs and data (AD scores) were independently assessed by 2 reviewers, and data were included in meta-analysis only after a common consensus was reached. The pooled results from the ADAS-cog and MMSE scores failed to show any difference between the treatment and the placebo groups as opposed to findings from some observational studies. However, in view of heterogeneity of results, there is a need to conduct more RCTs to arrive at confirmatory findings.