Anticholinergics Influence Transition from Normal Cognition to Mild Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults in Primary Care

Abstract

Study Objective To determine the influence of anticholinergic medications on transitions in cognitive diagnosis of older adults in primary care.

Design This observational cohort study was conducted over a mean follow‐up of 3.2 years. Anticholinergic exposure was defined by pharmacy dispensing and claims records. Cognitive diagnosis was performed by an expert panel at baseline and annually up to 4 years.

Data Source Medication exposure and other clinical data were extracted from the Indiana Network for Patient Care (INPC). The cognitive diagnosis was derived from a cognitive screening and diagnosis study.

Participants A total of 350 adults 65 years and older without dementia and receiving primary care in a safety net health care system.

Measurement and Main Results Cognitive diagnosis followed a two‐phase screening and consensus‐based neuropsychiatric examination to determine a baseline diagnosis as normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia, with a follow‐up neuropsychiatric examination and consensus‐based diagnosis repeated annually. The Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden scale was used to identify anticholinergics dispensed up to 10 years before enrollment and annually throughout the study. A total standard daily dose of anticholinergics was calculated by using pharmacy dispensing data from the INPC. Among 350 participants, a total of 978 diagnostic assessments were completed over a mean follow‐up of 3.2 years. Compared with stable cognition, increasing use of strong anticholinergics calculated by total standard daily dose increased the odds of transition from normal cognition to MCI (odds ratio [OR] 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.31, p = 0.0342). Compared with stable MCI, strong anticholinergics did not influence the reversion of MCI to normal cognition (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.86–1.05, p = 0.3266).

Conclusion De‐prescribing interventions in older adults with normal cognition should test anticholinergics as potentially modifiable risk factors for cognitive impairment.