Seven randomised controlled trials (n= 3,424) and one matched control trial (number of patients not specified) were included in the review. Follow-up periods in included studies ranged from 16 weeks to one year. Tabulated results of quality assessment indicated that trials were of medium to good quality. Four studies did not use intention-to-treat analyses. In one of these studies, dropouts were 40%. In a second study, full data were reported for only 35% of the caregivers. Caregivers were also judged by the reviewers to be dissimilar at baseline across studies.
Small but statistically significant benefits were observed on caregiver burden with use of anti-psychotic medication (SMD 0.27, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.41) in patients with dementia. A subgroup analysis of cholinesterase inhibitors found similar effects with use of cholinesterase inhibitors (SMD 0.23, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.33).
Decreases in the amount of time family caregivers spent with the relative with dementia were observed in five trials that evaluated treatment of patients with dementia with cholinesterase inhibitors (SMD 41.65 minutes per day, 95% CI 25.29 to 58.02 minutes).
There was no statistically significant heterogeneity observed reported in any analyses of pooled results for the outcomes examined. There was no evidence of publication bias.