Benoit Cossette1,2,3, Maimouna Bagna4,5, Modou Sene5, Caroline Sirois6,7,8, Gabrielle P Lefebvre4, Olivier Germain9, José A Morais10, Pierrette Gaudreau11,12, Hélène Payette4,5. 1. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada. benoit.cossette@sherbrooke.ca. 2. Research Centre on Aging, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie-Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada. benoit.cossette@sherbrooke.ca. 3. Department of Pharmacy, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie-Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada. benoit.cossette@sherbrooke.ca. 4. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada. 5. Research Centre on Aging, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie-Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada. 6. Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Quebec City, Québec, Canada. 7. Centre d'excellence sur le vieillissement de Québec, Quebec City, Québec, Canada. 8. Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Quebec City, Québec, Canada. 9. Department of Mathematics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada. 10. Division of Geriatric Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada. 11. Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal Research Center, Montréal, Canada. 12. Department of Medicine, University of Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The use of drugs with anticholinergic properties (AC drugs) has been associated with decreased functioning and impaired cognition in older adults. Studies assessing the association between AC-drug use and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) show conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the association between AC-drug use and HRQoL in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: The NuAge cohort study enrolled 1793 men and women aged 68-82 years. The participants were free of disabilities in activities of daily living, not cognitively impaired at recruitment and followed annually for 3 years (December 2003-May 2005). AC-drug exposure was assessed using the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Scale (ACBS). HRQoL was assessed using the physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summaries of the 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. The association between AC drug and HRQoL was determined by a mixed model analysis using four annual time points. RESULTS: At recruitment the mean age was 74.4 ± 4.2 years, 52% were female and 33% of participants were prescribed at least one AC drug. The mean PCS and MCS (/100) scores were 49.0 ± 8.2 and 54.9 ± 8.1, respectively. In the mixed model analysis, an increase of 1 on the ACBS was associated with a decrease of -0.50 (95% CI -0.68 to -0.31) in the PCS and an increase of 0.19 (95% CI 0.01-0.37) in the MCS. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of generally healthy community-dwelling older adults, AC-drug exposure was associated with a statistically significant decrease in the PCS and increase in the MCS throughout the entire follow-up period. However, the effects on the PCS and MCS were small and likely not clinically relevant.
BACKGROUND: The use of drugs with anticholinergic properties (AC drugs) has been associated with decreased functioning and impaired cognition in older adults. Studies assessing the association between AC-drug use and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) show conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the association between AC-drug use and HRQoL in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: The NuAge cohort study enrolled 1793 men and women aged 68-82 years. The participants were free of disabilities in activities of daily living, not cognitively impaired at recruitment and followed annually for 3 years (December 2003-May 2005). AC-drug exposure was assessed using the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Scale (ACBS). HRQoL was assessed using the physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summaries of the 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. The association between AC drug and HRQoL was determined by a mixed model analysis using four annual time points. RESULTS: At recruitment the mean age was 74.4 ± 4.2 years, 52% were female and 33% of participants were prescribed at least one AC drug. The mean PCS and MCS (/100) scores were 49.0 ± 8.2 and 54.9 ± 8.1, respectively. In the mixed model analysis, an increase of 1 on the ACBS was associated with a decrease of -0.50 (95% CI -0.68 to -0.31) in the PCS and an increase of 0.19 (95% CI 0.01-0.37) in the MCS. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of generally healthy community-dwelling older adults, AC-drug exposure was associated with a statistically significant decrease in the PCS and increase in the MCS throughout the entire follow-up period. However, the effects on the PCS and MCS were small and likely not clinically relevant.
Authors: Nadia Sourial; Howard Bergman; Sathya Karunananthan; Christina Wolfson; Jack Guralnik; Hélène Payette; Luis Gutierrez-Robledo; Dorly J H Deeg; John D Fletcher; Maria T E Puts; Bin Zhu; François Béland Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2012-03-28 Impact factor: 6.053
Authors: L P Fried; C M Tangen; J Walston; A B Newman; C Hirsch; J Gottdiener; T Seeman; R Tracy; W J Kop; G Burke; M A McBurnie Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2001-03 Impact factor: 6.053