維生素E可延緩阿茲海默氏症病情

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.

一項新的研究表明，患有輕度至中度阿茲海默氏症(Alzheimer disease)的患者如果每天使用高劑量的維生素E，則可以將機能減退的時間延緩大約六個月。

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，這項研究並沒有發現使用維生素E會對記憶力產生任何影響，同時醫生說，沒有證據表明維生素E能預防阿茲海默氏症這種衰竭性疾病。該研究將會刊登在本週的《美國醫學會雜誌》(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.

上述研究從2007年開始，一直持續到2012年，是針對輕度至中度阿茲海默氏症患者規模最大、時間最長的研究之一。研究涉及美國退伍軍人事務部(Veterans Affairs)下屬14個醫療中心的613名患者，這些患者加入研究時已經在服用阿茲海默氏症治療藥物。

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.

研究人員對患者進行追蹤研究的平均時間爲2.3年。他們發現，相對於服用安慰劑的患者而言，那些每天攝入2,000個國際單位維生素E的患者日常功能的下降表現得略微緩慢。

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員莫里斯・戴思肯(Maurice Dysken)是明尼阿波利斯退伍軍人醫療保健系統(Minneapolis VA Health Care System)的一名科學家。他說，儘管服用維生素E的好處看上去微乎其微，卻可以凸顯出能夠獨立穿衣或洗澡的病人和生活不能自理病人的區別。研究結果還顯示，服用維生素E能讓阿茲海默氏症的病情發展延緩大約六個月。

The study also showed that caregiver time increased the least among the vitamin E group.

研究同時表明，服用維生素E的患者所增加的護理時間最少。

'I think it's very meaningful to patients and caregivers to preserve function,' Dr. Dysken said.

戴思肯說：我認爲保持機能對患者和護理人員而言都很有意義。

Alzheimer's affects more than five million Americans. The progressive brain disorder leads to memory loss and eventually the ability to think and function.

阿茲海默氏症影響了超過500萬美國人。這種大腦逐步紊亂的疾病導致記憶障礙並最終喪失思考和行爲能力。

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.

斯莫爾(Scott Small)是紐約哥倫比亞大學(Columbia University)的一名阿茲海默氏症專家。他說，他可能會考慮讓一些阿茲海默氏症患者使用維生素E進行治療。然而，對那些擔心患上這種疾病的人而言，他們應當多鍛鍊和食用健康食品，而不是服用補充劑。他沒有參與這項研究。

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.

阿茲海默氏症協會(Alzheimer's Association)負責醫療與科學關係的副會長卡里略(Maria Carrillo)表示研究結果令人鼓舞，但她說研究人員應當在未來重複這項研究。她沒有參與該研究。

'No one should take vitamin E for Alzheimer's except under the supervision of a physician,' she said.

卡里略說，阿茲海默氏症患者應該在醫生指導下服用維生素E。