A J Remillard1. 1. College of Pharmacy, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether serum anticholinergic drug activity would be a useful clinical tool in helping to predict anticholinergic toxicity. DESIGN: A prospective study that included a retrospective chart review. SETTING: Two nursing home facilities. SUBJECTS: Thirty-one elderly volunteers between ages 69 and 98 years. INTERVENTION: Each subject completed a two-part interview. First, anticholinergic symptoms were evaluated and then cognitive function was assessed by three neuropsychiatric tests. Blood (10 ml) was collected to measure anticholinergic activity. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Eight subjects had detectable serum anticholinergic activity and scored higher on the Symbol Digit Modalities test than those with no detectable activity. No statistical difference was seen between the groups with respect to symptoms or results of the Mini-Mental and Auditory-Verbal Learning tests. CONCLUSION: The clinical usefulness of serum anticholinergic activity as a predictor for anticholinergic toxicity was not established under the experimental design of this study.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether serum anticholinergic drug activity would be a useful clinical tool in helping to predict anticholinergic toxicity. DESIGN: A prospective study that included a retrospective chart review. SETTING: Two nursing home facilities. SUBJECTS: Thirty-one elderly volunteers between ages 69 and 98 years. INTERVENTION: Each subject completed a two-part interview. First, anticholinergic symptoms were evaluated and then cognitive function was assessed by three neuropsychiatric tests. Blood (10 ml) was collected to measure anticholinergic activity. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Eight subjects had detectable serum anticholinergic activity and scored higher on the Symbol Digit Modalities test than those with no detectable activity. No statistical difference was seen between the groups with respect to symptoms or results of the Mini-Mental and Auditory-Verbal Learning tests. CONCLUSION: The clinical usefulness of serum anticholinergic activity as a predictor for anticholinergic toxicity was not established under the experimental design of this study.