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Table 2 Treatment effects of paracetamol and placebo on quality of life, discomfort, pain and neuropsychiatric symptoms. N = 95 (baseline), N = 86 (end of study)

From: Does paracetamol improve quality of life, discomfort, pain and neuropsychiatric symptoms in persons with advanced dementia living in long-term care facilities? A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled crossover (Q-PID) trial

 

Intervention

Mean difference

95% CI

p value

QUALIDEM-6D†

 Total score

Paracetamol

1.3

-1.0–3.5

0.876

Placebo

1.5

-0.7–3.8

 A—Care relationship

Paracetamol

2.9

-1.0–6.9

0.128

Placebo

-1.4

-5.3–2.5

 B—Positive affect

Paracetamol

0.3

-3.7–4.3

0.872

Placebo

0.7

-3.2–4.7

 C—Negative affect

Paracetamol

2.6

-1.4–6.6

0.919

Placebo

2.9

-1.0–6.9

 D—Restless tense behaviour

Paracetamol

2.1

-3.1–7.3

0.955

Placebo

2.3

-2.8–7.5

 F—Social relationships

Paracetamol

-1.1

-5.3–3.1

0.192

Placebo

2.9

-1.3–7.0

 G—Social isolation

Paracetamol

0.9

-3.6–5.3

0.803

Placebo

0.1

-4.3–4.5

 DS-DAT‡

Paracetamol

-0.1

-1.4–1.2

0.478

Placebo

0.6

-0.7–1.8

 MOBID-2*

Paracetamol

0.0

-0.5–0.5

0.605

Placebo

-0.2

-0.7–0.3

NPI-NH††

 Total score

Paracetamol

1.5

-2.3–5.4

0.187

Placebo

-2.1

-6.0–1.7

 Psychosis

Paracetamol

-0.3

-1.4–0.8

0.935

Placebo

-0.3

-1.4–0.8

 Agitation

Paracetamol

1.2

-0.7–3.0

0.077

Placebo

-1.2

-3.0–0.7

 Affective symptoms

Paracetamol

-0.3

-1.5–0.9

0.516

Placebo

0.2

-0.9–1.4

  1. Repeated linear mixed models, adjusted for order and period effects, and psychotropic use
  2. CI confidence interval, QUALIDEM-6D dementia-specific QoL measurement instrument, 6 domain version, DS-DAT Discomfort Scale-Dementia of Alzheimer Type, MOBID-2 Mobilization-Observation-Behaviour-Intensity-Dementia-2 pain scale, NPI-NH Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home version
  3. *Higher score means more pain
  4. †Higher score means better QoL
  5. ‡Higher score means more discomfort
  6. ††Higher score means more neuropsychiatric symptoms