Anticholinergic Drugs Not Associated With Decline in Cognitive Function: Presented at ADI
By Jenny Powers
THESSALONIKI, Greece -- March 14, 2010 -- According to data presented here on March 12 at the 25th Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), there is a high usage of anticholinergic drugs in the elderly population; however, no significant association between their use and exacerbated decline in cognitive function was observed.
Anticholinergic drugs may negatively impact cognition in elderly people, especially those with cognitive problems.
This study presented on behalf of a Greek research team by Vassilies T. Papaliagkas, MD, Neurological Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece, tried to correlate anticholinergic drug use in elderly subjects with their performance in neuropsychometric tests.
The study enrolled 96 elderly people who were given a complete neuropsychometric evaluation. The anticholinergic drugs were divided using the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) scale, according to their properties.
Drugs with possible anticholinergic effects were given a score of 1, whereas drugs with established anticholinergic effects were given a score of 2 or 3. A total ACB score of >=3 defined significant anticholinergic drug effects.
The mean (+- standard deviation) total ACB score was 1.9 +- 1.3 and ACB score was >=3 in 26 individuals (27.08% of the total patients) and 2 in 13 subjects (13.54%), demonstrating a high level of anticholinergic burden.
However there was no significant correlation observed (P < .05) between the ACB score and the scores of the elderly in the neuropsychometric tests performed.
The authors concluded that the study results indicate that a considerable percentage of elderly people use anticholinergic medication in a dosage that could lead to cognitive problems; however, no correlation was found between this anticholinergic activity and cognition.
The authors recommend that the prescription of these drugs must be given with caution and over-the-counter drugs should be avoided.
[Presentation title: Anticholinergic Drugs in Elderly People: Study of an Alzheimer’s Day Centre. Abstract OC058]
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