Table 2. The mean difference of MMSE score according to the pharmaceutical augmentation.
| Number of Subsets | Heterogeneity test [P-value] | Random effect [95% Confidence interval] | Egger’s Test [P-value] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in 4 weeks | ||||
| Placebo | 1 | 1.000 | 0.500 [-0.259, 1.259] | - |
| Pharmaceutical augmentation | 1 | 1.000 | 3.000 [2.135, 3.865] | - |
| 4–8 weeks | ||||
| Placebo | 3 | 0.913 | 0.600 [0.403, 0.796] | 0.870 |
| Pharmaceutical augmentation | 3 | < 0.001 | 1.732 [0.555, 2.910] | 0.107 |
| Donepezil 5mg/day | 2 | < 0.001 | 2.208 [-0.466, 4.882] | - |
| Donepezil 10mg/day | 1 | 1.000 | 0.968 [0.588, 1.347] | - |
| 8–12 weeks | ||||
| Placebo | 2 | 0.446 | 0.437 [0.206, 0.668] | - |
| Pharmaceutical augmentation | 2 | 0.300 | 1.578 [1.308, 1.848] | - |
| Donepezil 5mg/day | 1 | 1.000 | 1.387 [0.938, 1.836] | - |
| Donepezil 10mg/day | 1 | 1.000 | 1.677 [1.361, 1.994] | - |
| 12–18 weeks | ||||
| Placebo | 2 | 0.742 | 0.552 [0.302, 0.801] | - |
| Pharmaceutical augmentation | 2 | 0.686 | 1.516 [1.203, 1.829] | - |
| Donepezil 5mg/day | 1 | 1.000 | 1.581 [1.138, 2.023] | - |
| Donepezil 10mg/day | 1 | 1.000 | 1.452 [1.009, 1.894] | - |
| 18–24 weeks | ||||
| Placebo | 4 | 0.434 | 0.421 [0.233, 0.610] | 0.901 |
| Pharmaceutical augmentation | 5 | < 0.001 | 1.222 [0.727, 1.718] | 0.331 |
| Donepezil 5mg/day | 2 | 0.778 | 1.113 [0.652, 1.575] | - |
| Donepezil 10mg/day | 2 | 0.688 | 1.589 [1.270, 1.908] | - |
Abbreviations: MMSE, mini–mental state examination