A high daily dose of vitamin E slowed functional decline in patients diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease by about six months, according to a new study.
一项新的研究表明,患有轻度至中度阿兹海默氏症(Alzheimer disease)的患者如果每天使用高剂量的维生素E,则可以将机能减退的时间延缓大约六个月。
However, the research to be published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, found no impact on memory, and doctors said there was no evidence that vitamin E prevents the debilitating disease.
然而,这项研究并没有发现使用维生素E会对记忆力产生任何影响,同时医生说,没有证据表明维生素E能预防阿兹海默氏症这种衰竭性疾病。该研究将会刊登在本周的《美国医学会杂志》(Journal of the American Medical Association)上。
The study, which ran from 2007 to 2012, is one of the largest and longest surveys of people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. It involved 613 patients at 14 Veterans Affairs medical centers who were already taking Alzheimer's drugs.
上述研究从2007年开始,一直持续到2012年,是针对轻度至中度阿兹海默氏症患者规模最大、时间最长的研究之一。研究涉及美国退伍军人事务部(Veterans Affairs)下属14个医疗中心的613名患者,这些患者加入研究时已经在服用阿兹海默氏症治疗药物。
Researchers followed patients for an average of 2.3 years and found those receiving 2,000 international units of vitamin E daily showed slightly less of a decline of daily functioning than patients in a placebo group.
研究人员对患者进行追踪研究的平均时间为2.3年。他们发现,相对于服用安慰剂的患者而言,那些每天摄入2,000个国际单位维生素E的患者日常功能的下降表现得略微缓慢。
Though the benefit may seem small, lead researcher Maurice Dysken, a scientist at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, said it could represent the difference between patients who can still dress or bathe independently and those who can't. It also translates into about a six-month slowing in the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
此次研究的首席研究员莫里斯・戴思肯(Maurice Dysken)是明尼阿波利斯退伍军人医疗保健系统(Minneapolis VA Health Care System)的一名科学家。他说,尽管服用维生素E的好处看上去微乎其微,却可以凸显出能够独立穿衣或洗澡的病人和生活不能自理病人的区别。研究结果还显示,服用维生素E能让阿兹海默氏症的病情发展延缓大约六个月。
The study also showed that caregiver time increased the least among the vitamin E group.
研究同时表明,服用维生素E的患者所增加的护理时间最少。
'I think it's very meaningful to patients and caregivers to preserve function,' Dr. Dysken said.
戴思肯说:我认为保持机能对患者和护理人员而言都很有意义。
Alzheimer's affects more than five million Americans. The progressive brain disorder leads to memory loss and eventually the ability to think and function.
阿兹海默氏症影响了超过500万美国人。这种大脑逐步紊乱的疾病导致记忆障碍并最终丧失思考和行为能力。
Scott Small, an Alzheimer's expert at Columbia University in New York who wasn't involved in the research, said he might consider using vitamin E for some Alzheimer's patients. Those worried about developing the disease, however, should exercise and eat healthy foods rather than take supplements, he said.
斯莫尔(Scott Small)是纽约哥伦比亚大学(Columbia University)的一名阿兹海默氏症专家。他说,他可能会考虑让一些阿兹海默氏症患者使用维生素E进行治疗。然而,对那些担心患上这种疾病的人而言,他们应当多锻炼和食用健康食品,而不是服用补充剂。他没有参与这项研究。
Maria Carrillo, vice president of medical and scientific relations at the Alzheimer's Association, which wasn't involved in the study, called the results 'encouraging,' but said they should be replicated in future studies.
阿兹海默氏症协会(Alzheimer's Association)负责医疗与科学关系的副会长卡里略(Maria Carrillo)表示研究结果令人鼓舞,但她说研究人员应当在未来重复这项研究。她没有参与该研究。
'No one should take vitamin E for Alzheimer's except under the supervision of a physician,' she said.
卡里略说,阿兹海默氏症患者应该在医生指导下服用维生素E。