JAMA Neurol

Most patients with early Alzheimer's tolerated lecanemab in specialty clinic study

May 14, 2025

Study details: This retrospective analysis evaluated the feasibility and safety of lecanemab treatment in 234 patients with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD) at the Washington University Memory Diagnostic Center. Patients received 10 mg/kg of IV lecanemab q2wks over an average treatment period of 6.5 months.

Results: Infusion-related reactions occurred in 37% of patients, typically mild. Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) occurred in 22% of patients, with 15% developing ARIA with edema/effusion (ARIA-E) and 6.7% developing ARIA with hemorrhage/hemosiderin deposition (ARIA-H). Symptomatic ARIA occurred in 5.7% of patients, with 1% experiencing severe symptoms. No macrohemorrhages or deaths were reported. The withdrawal rate was 9.8%, with 4.3% due to ARIA.

Clinical impact: Lecanemab was safely administered in a real-world clinic, with side effects that were largely manageable. These findings point to the drug’s broader use in memory care, provided ARIA is closely monitored.

Source:

Paczynski M, et al. (2025, May 12). JAMA Neurol. Lecanemab Treatment in a Specialty Memory Clinic. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40354064/