ALOIS: Alzheimer's and cognitive improvement studies register, a free, on-line register of dementia and cognitive enhancement trials (http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/alois/)

Journal article

Background: Multiple publication of clinical studies makes it difficult for researchers and the public to identify unique studies from reference lists and bibliographic searches. The Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group's Specialised Register has recently been extended to include reports of all trials of prevention strategies and cognitive enhancers, as well as of treatment and rehabilitation in dementia. It has also been made freely available on-line to the community of researchers and the public (http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/alois/). The objective of this project is to create and maintain a comprehensive, up-to-date study-based registry of all trials and to make this register freely available on-line. Methods: We developed highly sensitive search strategies for the retrieval of citations of studies of treatment, prevention, and cognitive enhancement. These were then run in major databases, trial registers and grey literature sources. Each RCT was read and data extracted. Duplicate publications were linked to the same trial record. Each record was linked to a published Cochrane review where appropriate. A user friendly, web interface for searching the database was created. Results: ALOIS contains records of 2,525 randomized controlled trials and 495 controlled clinical trials in dementia and cognitive impairment. As at 1st April 2009 this includes all completed, ongoing and aborted studies identified by sensitive monthly searches. As well as citations, the displayed data include: study design/blinding, participants and health condition, intervention and dosage, number of participants, outcomes, date of study, website links and related Cochrane reviews/protocols. Conclusions: ALOIS is an online study-based register which will supply review authors, investigators, researchers and other stakeholders with a unique and up-to-date source of all published and unpublished studies in the area of dementia treatment/prevention and cognitive enhancement.

Authors: Malouf, R; Noel-Storr, A; Collins, H; McShane, R; Schneider, L

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Journal: Alzheimer's and Dementia
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 251-252
• Publication date: 2009-06-24
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2009.04.264
• ISSN: 1552-5260
• Keywords: SBTMR