The cross-sectional association of frailty with past and current exposure to strong anticholinergic drugs

Comparison of anticholinergic burden with chronic polypharmacy on functional decline and mortality in Korean older people: a retrospective nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate the association of anticholinergic burden and chronic polypharmacy with the incidence of functional decline and all-cause mortality, and to determine the difference between anticholinergic burden and chronic polypharmacy among Korean older people.

METHODS

This nationwide cohort study included 42,132 older people aged ≥ 65 years who underwent Korean National Health Insurance Service health examinations from 2007 to 2008. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for abnormal Timed Up and Go (TUG) test results were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analyses. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for all-cause mortality until the end of 2015 were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.

RESULTS

Of the participants, 37.19% had abnormal TUG test results, and 7.66% of those died during the 5.7-year mean follow-up. The abnormal TUG test results OR increased by 27% among individuals with Korean Anticholinergic Burden Scale (KABS) scores ≥ 3 (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.02-1.58) compared to those with KABS scores of 0. The HRs for all-cause mortality increased for individuals with higher KABS scores (P for trend < 0.001) or chronic polypharmacy (P for trend < 0.001) compared to those for individuals without these conditions. The combination of a higher KABS or chronic polypharmacy and abnormal TUG test results increased the risk of all-cause mortality (All P for trend < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Anticholinergic drug burden shows a better association with functional decline than chronic polypharmacy, and the use of medications and functional decline may be important risk factors for all-cause mortality among older people.

Medication Assessment in an Older Population during Acute Care Hospitalization and Its Effect on the Anticholinergic Burden: A Prospective Cohort Study

(1) Background: Anticholinergic and sedative drugs (ASDs) contribute to negative health outcomes, especially in the frail population. In this study, we aimed to assess whether frailty increases with anticholinergic burden and to evaluate the effects of medication reviews (MRs) on ASD regimens among patients attending an acute care for the elderly (ACE) unit. (2) Methods: A cohort study was conducted between June 2019 and October 2020 with 150 consecutive patients admitted to our ACE unit. Demographic, clinical, and pharmacological data were assessed. Frailty score was determined using the Frail-VIG index (FI-VIG), and ASD burden was quantified using the drug burden index (DBI). In addition, the MR was performed using the patient-centered prescription (PCP) model. We used a paired T-test to compare the DBI pre- and post-MR and univariate and multivariate regression to identify the factors associated with frailty. (3) Results: Overall, 85.6% (n = 128) of participants showed some degree of frailty (FI-VIG > 0.20) and 84% (n = 126) of patients received treatment with ASDs upon admission (pre-MR). As the degree of frailty increased, so did the DBI (p < 0.001). After the implementation of the MR through the application of the PCP model, a reduction in the DBI was noted (1.06 ± 0.8 versus 0.95 ± 0.7) (p < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, the association between frailty and the DBI was apparent (OR: 11.42, 95% (CI: 2.77-47.15)). (4) Conclusions: A higher DBI was positively associated with frailty. The DBI decreased significantly in frail patients after a personalized MR. Thus, MRs focusing on ASDs are crucial for frail older patients.

Inappropriate drug use determined by TIME criteria and the relation with frailty

Amaç: Çalışmamızın amacı kırılganlık ile çoklu ilaç kullanımı, Potansiyel Uygunsuz İlaç Kullanımı (PUİK) ve Potansiyel Reçete İhmali (PRİ) ilişkisini değerlendirmektedir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Geriatri polikliniğine 1 Ekim 2021 ve 1 Nisan 2022 ayaktan başvuran 65 yaş ve üzeri hastalar retrospektif değerlendirildi. Hastaların demografik verileri, kullandıkları ilaçların etken maddeleri, komorbid hastalıkları ve Klinik Kırılganlık Skalası (KKS) skoru kayıt edildi. KKS skoruna göre hastalar kırılgan ve kırılgan olmayan olarak ikiye ayrıldı. Turkish Inappropriate Medication use in the Elderly (TIME) to STOP kriterleri PUİK değerlendirmek için, TIME to START ise PRİ’yi belirlemek için kullanıldı. Bulgular: Hastaların ortalama yaşı 75,9±8,7 olup, hastaların %63,1 kadın idi. Hastaların kullandığı ortanca ilaç sayısı 7 (0-17) iken, katılımcıların %79,6’sında polifarmasi mevcuttu. Kırılgan hastaların %69,5 (n=42)’ inde polifarmasi mevcut olup, kırılgan olmayan hastalarda bu oran %22,5 (n=18) idi. Kırılgan hastalarda oral beslenme ürünü, 3-hidroksi-3-metil-glutaril-KoA reduktaz inhibitörleri ve demans tedavisi reçete ihmali oranı anlamlı olarak normal popülasyondan daha fazla idi. Proton pompa inhibitörleri, antipsikotikler, asetilsalisilik asit ve betahistinin uygunsuz kullanım oranı kırılgan hastalarda, kırılgan olmayan hastalardan daha fazla idi. Sonuç: Polifarmasi, PRİ ve PUİK hastalarda değerlendirilirken kırılganlık göz önünde bulundurulmalıdır ve her ülkenin farklı reçeteleme alışkanlığı olmasından dolayı ülkemize özel olan TIME kriterlerinin kullanımı önemli bir avantaj sağlayabilir.

Identifying Frail Patients by Using Electronic Health Records in Primary Care: Current Status and Future Directions

With the rapidly aging population, frailty, characterized by an increased risk of adverse outcomes, has become a major public health problem globally. Several frailty guidelines or consensuses recommend screening for frailty, especially in primary care settings. However, most of the frailty assessment tools are based on questionnaires or physical examinations, adding to the clinical workload, which is the major obstacle to converting frailty research into clinical practice. Medical data naturally generated by routine clinical work containing frailty indicators are stored in electronic health records (EHRs) (also called electronic health record (EHR) data), which provide resources and possibilities for frailty assessment. We reviewed several frailty assessment tools based on primary care EHRs and summarized the features and novel usage of these tools, as well as challenges and trends. Further research is needed to develop and validate frailty assessment tools based on EHRs in primary care in other parts of the world.

Anticholinergic burden and poor oral health are associated with frailty in geriatric patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Poor oral health is known to be associated with frailty in geriatric populations. Recent exposure to anticholinergic medications is responsible for features of poor oral health. Anticholinergic medications pose a cumulative risk for frailty.

METHODS

We studied 115 geriatric inpatients (aged >65 years and recruited over a 3-month period from October to December 2017). Patients who were severely agitated, cognitively impaired, from a non-English speaking background and with severe sensory impairment were excluded. Frailty and oral health were assessed using the Reported Edmonton Frailty Scale and the Oral Health Assessment Test, respectively. Exposure to anticholinergic medications was assessed using the Anticholinergic Burden Scale.

RESULTS

The mean age was 80 (range from 66 to 101). Only 44 patients (38.3%) were not exposed to any anticholinergic medication. Nearly two-thirds of patients were taking anticholinergic medications, with 25% classified as having a high anticholinergic burden (ACB ≥ 4). Approximately one-third of severely frail patients were exposed to a high anticholinergic burden. Patients with a high anticholinergic burden were more than twice as likely to have severe frailty (OR 2.21; 95% confidence interval 1.05-4.6). Poor oral health was associated with frailty (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.02-1.49).

CONCLUSION

High anticholinergic burden was found to be a risk marker for severe frailty independent of its effect on oral health. Poor oral health was associated with all levels of frailty. This study highlights a need for a review of medications with anticholinergic properties in older patients. Further research should be directed at whether deprescribing could prevent poor oral health or slow the progression of frailty.