Real-world onabotulinumtoxinA treatment patterns in patients with overactive bladder

PURPOSE

Utilization patterns of third-line onabotulinumtoxinA for overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms-including discontinuation and use of other therapeutic options during or after treatment-are not well understood. This retrospective analysis of administrative claims was designed to characterize the unmet need for OAB treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective claims analysis of Optum's deidentified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database (2009-2021) was performed among patients with diagnosis of OAB newly starting onabotulinumtoxinA injection (2015-2017). Study measures were evaluated during an 18-month pretreatment baseline and over a minimum of 36 months of follow-up. These included number of injections, days between injections, other measures of onabotulinumtoxinA utilization, use of second-line pharmacologic treatments, use of device and surgical treatment options, and complications.

RESULTS

Of 2505 eligible patients, 535 (21.4%; 66.8 ± 13.3 y, 87.3% females) continued onabotulinumtoxinA throughout the study. The remaining 1970 (78.6%; 71.4 ± 11.6 y, 79.1% females) were considered discontinuers. Of continuers, 57% received ≥5 treatments. Of discontinuers, 84% received ≤2 treatments. Anticholinergics and β3-adrenoceptor agonist medication use declined in all patients from baseline to follow-up; however, the absolute reduction in the proportion with any medication fill was similar across continuers versus discontinuers (21% vs. 18%, p < 0.0001). Sacral neuromodulation was initiated by 15/535 (3%) of continuers and 137/1970 (7%) of discontinuers (p < 0.0001). No patients initiated percutaneous tibial neuromodulation.

CONCLUSIONS

Early discontinuation of onabotulinumtoxinA therapy for OAB is common and most discontinuers do not receive alternative treatments. Providers have the opportunity to educate OAB patients with un- or undertreated symptoms regarding alternative options.

Association of anticholinergic drug exposure with the risk of dementia among older adults in Japan: The LIFE Study

OBJECTIVES

Several studies have investigated that anticholinergic drugs cause cognitive impairment. However, the risk of dementia associated with anticholinergics has not been extensively investigated in the super-aging society of Japan. We conducted this study to assess the association between anticholinergic drugs and the risk of dementia in older adults in Japan.

METHODS

This nested case-control study used data from the Longevity Improvement & Fair Evidence Study, which includes claim data in Japan from 2014 to 2020. We included 66,478 cases of diagnosed dementia and 328,919 matched controls aged ≥65 years, matched by age, sex, municipality, and cohort entry year. Primary exposure was the total cumulative anticholinergic drugs prescribed from cohort entry date to event date or matched index date, which was the total standardized daily doses for each patient, calculated by adding the total dose of different types of anticholinergic drugs in each prescription, divided by the World Health Organization-defined daily dose values. Odds ratios for dementia associated with cumulative exposure to anticholinergic drugs were calculated using conditional logistic regression adjusted for confounding variables.

RESULTS

The mean (standard deviation) age at index date was 84.3 (6.9), and the percentage of women was 62.1%. From cohort entry date to event date or matched index date, 18.8% of the case patients and 13.7% of the controls were prescribed at least one anticholinergic drug. In the multivariable-adjusted model, individuals with anticholinergic drugs prescribed had significantly higher odds of being diagnosed with dementia (adjusted odds ratio, 1.50 [95% confidence interval, 1.47-1.54]). Among specific types of anticholinergic drugs, a significant increase in risk was observed with the use of antidepressants, antiparkinsonian drugs, antipsychotics, and bladder antimuscarinics in a fully multivariable-adjusted model.

CONCLUSIONS

Several types of anticholinergic drugs used by older adults in Japan are associated with an increased risk of dementia. These findings suggest that the underlying risks should be considered alongside the benefits of prescribing anticholinergic drugs to this population.

The past, present and future of anticholinergic drugs

In current medical practice, it is difficult to find any reports claiming that drugs that are primarily anticholinergic or those that have significant anticholinergic effects have any therapeutic benefits. These drugs fell into disrepute within the mental health field from the mid-1960s onwards, and their supposed problems extended to elsewhere in medicine after that. There is considerable evidence that this disrepute stemmed more from marketing copy rather than from hard clinical trial data. Many apparent reviews appear to repeat prior claims rather than present substantial or new evidence. This article offers a perspective rather than a systematic review as there is little evidence other than claims to review. The aim is to challenge the conventional narrative that anticholinergic effects are uniquely hazardous by pointing to the uncertain basis for claims about the harms of anticholinergic drugs, antimuscarinic drugs in particular, ending with pointers to recent research that, if realized, might underpin important possible future benefits.

Anticholinergic burden in middle and older age is associated with lower cognitive function, but not with brain atrophy

AIMS

The aim of this study is to estimate the association between anticholinergic burden, general cognitive ability and various measures of brain structural MRI in relatively healthy middle-aged and older individuals.

METHODS

In the UK Biobank participants with linked health-care records (n = 163,043, aged 40-71 at baseline), of whom about 17 000 had MRI data available, we calculated the total anticholinergic drug burden according to 15 different anticholinergic scales and due to different classes of drugs. We then used linear regression to explore the associations between anticholinergic burden and various measures of cognition and structural MRI, including general cognitive ability, 9 separate cognitive domains, brain atrophy, volumes of 68 cortical and 14 subcortical areas and fractional anisotropy and median diffusivity of 25 white-matter tracts.

RESULTS

Anticholinergic burden was modestly associated with poorer cognition across most anticholinergic scales and cognitive tests (7/9 FDR-adjusted significant associations, standardised betas (β) range: -0.039, -0.003). When using the anticholinergic scale exhibiting the strongest association with cognitive functions, anticholinergic burden due to only some classes of drugs exhibited negative associations with cognitive function, with β-lactam antibiotics (β = -0.035, PFDR < 0.001) and opioids (β = -0.026, PFDR < 0.001) exhibiting the strongest effects. Anticholinergic burden was not associated with any measure of brain macrostructure or microstructure (PFDR > 0.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Anticholinergic burden is weakly associated with poorer cognition, but there is little evidence for associations with brain structure. Future studies might focus more broadly on polypharmacy or more narrowly on distinct drug classes, instead of using purported anticholinergic action to study the effects of drugs on cognitive ability.

Risk factors for dementia in Parkinson's Disease - the overuse of anticholinergic drugs

AIM OF THE STUDY

To determine the risk factors for dementia in a group of patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD), especially the effect of the anticholinergic burden assessed according to the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden scale (ACB) and the CRIDECO Anticholinergic Load Scale (CALS).

CLINICAL RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY

To provide information about factors associated with Parkinson's Disease dementia (PDD), especially the anticholinergic burden and testing the effect of both scales in an assessment of the anticholinergic burden in this group of patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective and cross-sectional analysis of medical records of patients with Parkinson's Disease admitted to the Neurology Department of the Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland between 2019 and 2021 was performed. We found 418 patients with a diagnosis of PD, but 80 were excluded due to lack of a cognitive function assessment. Based on MMSE score, the remaining 338 patients were divided into two groups of patients with, and without, PDD. Next, demographic and clinical data was collected. The anticholinergic burden was assessed using the ACB and the CALS scales. According to the authors of these scales, : if a scale score is of three or more points, this should be considered as a significant anticholinergic burden. Multiple logistic regression with backward elimination was used to assess factors significantly related to the presence of dementia, and two different models were used for both scales assessing the anticholinergic burden.

RESULTS

62 (18.3%) patients were diagnosed with PDD. Overall significant anticholinergic burden (≥ 3 points) was found in 31.95% of patients using CALS and in 18.93% using ACB. Anticholinergic burden was higher in patients with dementia (CALS 50 vs. 27.90%, p < 0.001, ACB 43.5 vs. 13.41%, p < 0.001). According to both models, the factors significantly related to dementia were: age (ACB OR 1,114 (1.062-1.170), p < 0.001, CALS OR 1.123 (1.070-1.178), p < 0.001), significant anticholinergic burden (ACB OR 3.433 (1.746-6.750), p < 0.001, CALS OR 2.166 (1.157-4.055), p = 0.016) disease severity in the Hoehn-Yahr scale (ACB OR 1.752 (1.197-2.565), p = 0.004, CALS OR 1.831 (1.256-2.670), p = 0.002) and atrial fibrillation (ACB OR 5.593 (1.417-22.083), p = 0.014, CALS OR 5.159 (1.314-20.254), p = 0.016).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

The anticholinergic burden is larger in PDD patients compared to PD patients without dementia. CALS or ACB scales are helpful in this risk assessment and might be crucial to avoid the development of PDD, especially in older PD patients with multimorbidities.

Improving quantification of anticholinergic burden using the Anticholinergic Effect on Cognition Scale - a healthcare improvement study in a geriatric ward setting

OBJECTIVE

Anticholinergic burden refers to the cumulative effects of taking multiple medications with anticholinergic effects. This study was carried out in a public hospital in Singapore, aimed to improve and achieve a 100% comprehensive identification and review of measured, anticholinergic burden in a geriatric psychiatry liaison service to geriatric wards. We evaluated changes in pre-to post-assessment anticholinergic burden scores and trainee feedback.

METHOD

Plan Do Study Act methodology was employed, and Anticholinergic Effect on Cognition scale (AEC) was implemented as the study intervention. A survey instrument evaluated trainee feedback.

RESULTS

There was no measured anticholinergic burden in a baseline of 170 assessments. 75 liaison psychiatry assessments were conducted between June and November 2021 in two cycles. 94.7% of pre-assessments (at the time of assessment) and 71.1% of post-assessments (following assessment) had a record of AEC scores in clinical documentation in cycle one, improving in the second cycle to 100%, 94.6%, respectively. A high post-assessment AEC score of 3 and over reduced from 15.8% in cycle one to 5.4% in cycle two. The trainee feedback suggested an enriching educational experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the AEC scale, the findings support the feasibility of comprehensive identification and review of measured anticholinergic burden in older people with neurocognitive disorders.

Non-inferior and more feasible transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation in treating overactive bladder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Overactive bladder (OAB) is identified as a urinary urgency accompanied by frequency and nocturia with or without urgency urinary incontinence in the nonexistence of a urinary tract infection or other evident pathologies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) versus percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) or anticholinergic drugs in reducing symptoms and improving the quality of life for OAB patients.

METHODS

We performed a systematic search in Medline, Embase, and CENTRAL, in which we included randomized controlled trials that compared TTNS with anticholinergic drugs or PTNS in treating idiopathic OAB. We evaluated the following outcomes: 3-day voiding diary (voiding frequency/day, daytime micturition frequency/day, nighttime micturition frequency/day, number of urgency episodes/day, number of incontinence episodes/day, and mean voiding volume), symptom bother, health related quality of life (HRQoL), and adverse events. We used 95% as a confidence interval (CI) and p < 0.05. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used for continuous outcomes, and the risk ratio (RR) was used for dichotomous outcomes.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference comparing TTNS with anticholinergic drugs or PTNS regarding voiding frequency/day (SMD = -0.01, 95% CI -0.33 to 0.32), nighttime micturition frequency/day (SMD = -0.28, 95% CI -0.94 to 0.37), number of urgency episodes/day (SMD = -0.05, 95% CI -0.36 to 0.26), number of incontinence episodes/day (SMD = -0.04, 95% CI -0.32 to 0.25), symptom bother (SMD = -0.19, 95% CI -0.55 to 0.16), HRQoL (SMD = 0.27, 95% CI -0.32 to 0.85), and adverse events (RR = 0.07, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.54).

CONCLUSION

The current meta-analysis reveals that there is no statistically significant difference between TTNS versus PTNS or anticholinergic drugs for the nonsurgical management of OAB patients.

Association between anticholinergic burden and dementia in UK Biobank

Background

Previous studies on the relationship between anticholinergic drugs and dementia have reported heterogeneous results. This variability could be due to different anticholinergic scales and differential effects of distinct classes of drugs.

Methods

Using Cox proportional hazards models, we computed the association between annual anticholinergic burden (AChB) and the risk of dementia in UK Biobank with linked general practitioner prescription records between the years 2000 and 2015 (n = 171,775).

Results

AChB according to most anticholinergic scales (standardized odds ratio range: 1.027-1.125) and the slope of the AChB trajectory (hazard ratio = 1.094; 95% confidence interval: 1.068-1.119) were predictive of dementia. However, the association between AChB and dementia held only for some classes of drugs, especially antidepressants, antiepileptics, and antidiuretics.

Discussion

The heterogeneity in previous findings may partially be due to different effects for different classes of drugs. Future studies should establish differences in more detail and further examine the practicality of a general measure of AChB relating to the risk of dementia.

Anticholinergic drugs and forebrain magnetic resonance imaging changes in cognitively normal people and those with mild cognitive impairment

Background and purpose

Anticholinergic (AC) medication use is associated with cognitive decline and dementia, which may be related to an AC‐induced central hypocholinergic state, but the exact mechanisms remain to be understood. We aimed to further elucidate the putative link between AC drug prescription, cognition, and structural and functional impairment of the forebrain cholinergic nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM).

Methods

Cognitively normal (CN; n = 344) and mildly cognitively impaired (MCI; n = 224) Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Phase 3 participants with good quality 3‐T magnetic resonance imaging were included. Structural (regional gray matter [GM] density) and functional NBM integrity (functional connectivity [FC]) were compared between those on AC medication for > 1 year (AC⁺) and those without (AC⁻) in each condition. AC burden was classed as mild, moderate, or severe.

Results

MCI AC⁺ participants (0.55 ± 0.03) showed lower NBM GM density compared to MCI AC⁻ participants (0.56 ± 0.03, p = 0.002), but there was no structural AC effect in CN. NBM FC was lower in CN AC⁺ versus CN AC⁻ (3.6 ± 0.5 vs. 3.9 ± 0.6, p = 0.001), and in MCI AC⁺ versus MCI AC⁻ (3.3 ± 0.2 vs. 3.7 ± 0.5, p < 0.001), with larger effect size in MCI. NBM FC partially mediated the association between AC medication burden and cognition.

Conclusions

Our findings provide novel support for a detrimental effect of mild AC medication on the forebrain cholinergic system characterized as functional central hypocholinergic that partially mediated AC‐related cognitive impairment. Moreover, structural tissue damage suggests neurodegeneration, and larger effect sizes in MCI point to enhanced susceptibility for AC medication in those at risk of dementia.

Prescription of Anticholinergic Drugs in Patients With Schizophrenia: Analysis of Antipsychotic Prescription Patterns and Hospital Characteristics

In several clinical guidelines for schizophrenia, long-term use of anticholinergic drugs is not recommended. We investigated the characteristics of the use of anticholinergics in patients with schizophrenia by considering psychotropic prescription patterns and differences among hospitals. A cross-sectional, retrospective prescription survey at the time of discharge was conducted on 2027 patients with schizophrenia from 69 Japanese hospitals. We examined the relations among psychotropic drug prescriptions regarding anticholinergic prescription. We divided the hospitals into three groups-low rate group (LG), medium rate group (MG), and high rate group (HG)-according to their anticholinergic prescription rates, and analyzed the relationship between anticholinergic prescription rates and antipsychotic prescription. Anticholinergic drugs were prescribed to 618 patients (30.5%), and the prescription rates were significantly higher for high antipsychotic doses, antipsychotic polypharmacy, and first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) use. The anticholinergic prescription rate varied considerably among hospitals, ranging from 0 to 66.7%, and it was significantly higher in patients with antipsychotic monotherapy, antipsychotic polypharmacy, and normal and high doses of antipsychotics in HG than in those LG and MG. The anticholinergics prescription rate in patients with second-generation antipsychotic monotherapy in HG was also significantly higher than in those LG and MG; however, the difference was no longer significant in patients with FGA monotherapy. Conclusively, in addition to high antipsychotic doses, antipsychotic polypharmacy, and FGA use, hospital characteristics influence the prescribing of anticholinergic drugs.

Optimising oral health in frail older people

There is a link between oral health and systemic health. Conditions such as dementia and pneumonia are associated with poor oral health.

Frail older people receive regular care from medical and nursing staff but tend not to see dentists regularly or only seek treatment when there is a dental problem. Collaboration between dentists and other health professionals is therefore increasingly important.

Oral health should be assessed regularly. This enables early referral to a dentist.

Anticholinergic drugs, particularly in polypharmacy, can have a profound deleterious effect on salivary function and oral health. A medication review may enable the anticholinergic burden to be reduced.

In addition to regular brushing, oral preventive products may be appropriate in frail older people.

Increase in anticholinergic burden from 1990 to 2015: Age-period-cohort analysis in UK biobank

BACKGROUND

The use of prescription drugs with anticholinergic properties has been associated with multiple negative health outcomes in older people. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that associated adverse effects may occur even decades after stopping anticholinergic use. Despite the implicated importance of examining longitudinal patterns of anticholinergic prescribing for different age groups, few such data are available.

METHODS

We performed an age-period-cohort (APC) analysis to study trends in an aggregate measure of anticholinergic burden between the years 1990 and 2015, utilising data from >220 000 UK Biobank participants with linked prescription data from primary care.

RESULTS

Anticholinergic burden in the sample increased up to 9-fold over 25 years and was observed for both period and age effects across most classes of drugs. The greatest increase was seen in the prescribing of antidepressants. Female sex, lower education and greater deprivation were associated with greater anticholinergic burden.

CONCLUSIONS

The increase in anticholinergic prescribing is mostly due to an increase in polypharmacy and is attributable to both ageing of participants and period-related changes in prescribing practices. Research is needed to clarify the implications of rising anticholinergic use for public health and to contextualise this rise in light of other relevant prescribing practices.

Mechanisms of Antiparkinsonian Anticholinergic Therapy Revisited

Before the advent of L-DOPA, the gold standard symptomatic therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD), anticholinergic drugs (muscarinic receptor antagonists) were the preferred antiparkinsonian therapy, but their unwanted side effects associated with impaired extrastriatal cholinergic function limited their clinical utility. Since most patients treated with L-DOPA also develop unwanted side effects such as L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID), better therapies are needed. Recent studies in animal models demonstrate that optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulation of striatal cholinergic interneurons (SCIN), the main source of striatal acetylcholine, modulate parkinsonism and LID, suggesting that restoring SCIN function might serve as a therapeutic option that avoids extrastriatal anticholinergics' side effects. However, it is still unclear how the altered SCIN activity in PD and LID affects the striatal circuit, whereas the mechanisms of action of anticholinergic drugs are still not fully understood. Recent animal model studies showing that SCINs undergo profound changes in their tonic discharge pattern after chronic L-DOPA administration call for a reexamination of classical views of how SCINs contribute to PD symptoms and LID. Here, we review the recent advances on the circuit implications of aberrant striatal cholinergic signaling in PD and LID in an effort to provide a comprehensive framework to understand the effects of anticholinergic drugs and with the aim of shedding light into future perspectives of cholinergic circuit-based therapies.

Association between Anticholinergic Burden and Constipation: A Systematic Review

The association between anticholinergic burden and constipation is not well defined and documented; for this reason, a systematic review was carried out in five databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, and Scopus), including studies assessing the correlation between anticholinergic burden, and constipation between January 2006 and December 2020. Data extraction was conducted independently by two researchers. Abstracts and titles were reviewed to determine eligibility for review with eligible articles read in full. From 2507 identified articles, 11 were selected for this review: six cross-sectional studies, four retrospective cohort studies, and a post hoc analysis of a randomized clinical trial. Overall, nine studies reported at least one statistical association between anticholinergic burden and constipation, finding 13 positive results out of 24 association measurements. A total of 211,921 patients were studied. The association between constipation and anticholinergic burden could be demonstrated in studies including 207,795 patients. Most studies were not designed to find differences in constipation prevalence and did not adjust the results by confounding factors. Our findings suggest that a correlation between anticholinergic burden and constipation exists. Higher quality-evidence studies are needed, including analysis that considers confounding factors, such as other non-pharmacological causes of constipation.

The burden of psychotropic and anticholinergic medicines use in care homes: population-based analysis in 147 care homes

BACKGROUND

older people living in care-homes are particularly vulnerable to adverse effects of psychotropic and anticholinergic drugs.

METHODS

anonymised dispensed prescription data from all 4,478 residents aged ≥ 60 years in 147 care-homes in two Scottish health boards were analysed. Psychotropic medicines examined were antipsychotics, antidepressants, hypnotic/anxiolytics, opioids and gabapentinoids. Anticholinergic burden was measured using the modified anticholinergic risk scale (mARS). Variation between care-homes and associations with individual and care-home characteristics were examined using multilevel logistic regression.

RESULTS

63.5% of residents were prescribed at least one psychotropic drug, and 27.0% two or more, most commonly antidepressants (41.6%), opioids (20.3%), hypnotic/anxiolytics (16.9%) and antipsychotics (16.7%). 48.1% were prescribed an anticholinergic drug, and 12.1% had high anticholinergic burden (mARS ≥ 3). Variation between care-homes was high for antipsychotics (intra-cluster correlation coefficient [ICC] 8.2%) and hypnotics/anxiolytics (ICC = 7.3%), and moderate for antidepressants (ICC = 4.7%) and anticholinergics (ICC = 2.8%). Prescribing of all drugs was lower in the oldest old. People with dementia were more likely to be prescribed antipsychotics (adjusted OR = 1.45, 95%CI 1.23-1.71) but less likely to be prescribed anticholinergics (aOR = 0.61, 95%CI 0.51-0.74). Prescribing of antipsychotics was higher in Tayside (aOR = 1.52, 95%CI 1.20-1.92), whereas prescribing of antidepressants (particularly tricyclic-related) was lower (aOR = 0.66, 95%CI 0.56-0.79). There was no association with care-home regulator quality scores.

CONCLUSION

care-home residents have high psychotropic and anticholinergic burden, with considerable variation between care-homes that is not related to existing measures of quality of care. Research to better understand variation between care-homes and the interaction with local prescribing cultures is needed.

Naloxone Alleviate the Severity of Delirium in Hospitalized Patients With Parkinsonism: Three Case Reports

Purpose: Delirium is common in geriatric with Parkinson's disease (PD). Treatments for delirium have generally been neuroleptics; however, antipsychotics have potential effect to block striatal dopamine D2 receptors and worsen symptom of parkinsonism. We explored whether naloxone can alleviate delirium in PD and other forms of parkinsonism. Patients and Methods: Patients with parkinsonism who met the delirium criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) received naloxone infusions once or twice daily. Treatment effects were evaluated by the delirium rating scale-revised 98 (DRS-R98), including non-cognitive and cognitive subscales; the Richmond agitation-sedation scale (RASS); and the mini mental status examination (MMSE). Results: Two patients with primary parkinsonism, one with vascular PD were observed. The daily dose of naloxone was 2.08 ± 0.64 mg (range: 1-4 mg). Medication time last from 1 h to 7 days without side effects observed. Following with naloxone infusions, DRS-R98 scores decreased within 12 h and MMSE scores increased. The psychotic symptoms, disorientation, and attention deficits were alleviated significantly, while RASS scores decreased with naloxone treatment. Conclusion: Naloxone alleviated psychotic symptoms, improved cognitive dysfunction, and irritability in patients with delirium in the context of PD. The preliminary findings point out that the opioid system may be involved in the pathophysiology of delirium, which may be one of potential treat targets for delirium of PD.

The Prevalence of Anticholinergic Drugs and Correlation with Pneumonia in Elderly Patients: A Population-Based Study in Taiwan

Anticholinergic drugs may increase the risk of serious respiratory infection, especially in the elderly. The study aims to investigate the prevalence of anticholinergic drugs and the correlation of incident pneumonia associated with the use of anticholinergic drugs among the elderly in Taiwan. The study population was 275,005 elderly patients aged ≥65 years old, selected from the longitudinal health insurance database (LHID) in 2016. Among all the elderly patients, about 60% had received anticholinergic medication at least once. Furthermore, the study selected elderly patients who had not been diagnosed with pneumonia and had not received any anticholinergic drugs in the past year in order to evaluate the correlation between pneumonia and anticholinergic drugs. The study excluded elderly patients who died or had received related drugs of incident pneumonia during the study period and selected elderly patients receiving anticholinergic drugs as the case group. Propensity score matching (PSM) on a 1:1 scale was used to match elderly patients that were not receiving any anticholinergic drugs as the control group, resulting in a final sample of 32,215 patients receiving anticholinergic drugs and 32,215 patients not receiving any anticholinergic drugs. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the association between anticholinergic drugs and pneumonia after controlling for potential confounders. Compared with patients not receiving anticholinergic drugs, the adjusted odds ratio of patients receiving anticholinergic drugs was 1.33 (95% confidence interval: 1.18 to 1.49). Anticholinergic medication is common among elderly patients in Taiwan. Elderly patients receiving anticholinergic drugs may increase their risk of incident pneumonia. The safety of anticholinergic drugs in the elderly should be of concern in Taiwan.

Anticholinergic Drugs and Oral Health-related Quality of Life in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Pilot Study

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore, in a sample population of people with schizophrenia (PWS), the role of the anticholinergic burden on the perception of oral health-related quality of life (OHrQoL) in France.

Methods

A pilot study was performed between March 2014 and January 2016. PWS were recruited from a population in Côte d’Or department in France. Dental status was investigated using the Decayed, Missing, or Filled Teeth (DMFT) index, the Xerostomia Index (XI), and the Global Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) for OHrQoL. The anticholinergic impregnation score was recorded using the anticholinergic impregnation scale (AIS).

Results

A sample of 62 people was selected. The DMFT score was 16.5± 8.7, the XI score was 22.9±7.8, the GOHAI score was 43.0±8.8, and the AIS score was 3.1±2.8. In total, 169 drugs were prescribed to the people of our sample, and 114 different anticholinergic drugs were observed. The most frequently used anticholinergic drugs (51.40%), in the study had a low antimuscarinic potency (1 point according to AIS scale). The multiple linear regression model showed that the OHrQoL scores were significantly lower when the DMFT scores, XI score, and anticholinergic scores were high.

Conclusions

This pilot study highlighted the potential role of the anticholinergic burden on the OHrQoL of PWS. A study with a validated specific scale for the OHrQoL and a standard anticholinergic burden scale should be conducted to clarify the role of anticholinergic drugs on the OHrQoL for PWS.

Association Between Drug Burden Index and Functional and Cognitive Function in Patients with Multimorbidity

BACKGROUND

Anticholinergic and sedative drugs are associated with adverse events such as cognitive and functional impairment in elderly. The Drug Burden Index (DBI) is a measure of an individual's total exposure to anticholinergic and sedative drugs. Objetive: The study aimed to evaluate the association between the total DBI and cognitive and functional impairment in patients with multimorbidity.

SETTING

Patients with multimorbidity enrolled in the IMPACTO project.

METHODS

Cross-sectional observational study.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The anticholinergic and sedative exposure was calculated using DBI. The Pfeiffer Test (PT) was used for cognitive status and the Barthel Index (BI) for functional status.

RESULTS

336 patients were included (mean age 77.6 ± 8.7 years, 54.2% men and a mean of 11.5 ± 3.7 prescribed drugs). 180 patients (53.6%) exposed to anticholinergic and/or sedative drugs were identified. The median score obtained in PT was slightly higher in exposed patients (1 (IQR 0-2) and 2 (IQR 0-4), p = 0.082 in "non-exposed" and "exposed", respectively). The bivariate analysis showed an association [0.544 (95% CI 0.044-1.063, p = 0.03)]. The median obtained in the BI analysis was 85.0 (IQR 30.0) and 75.5 (IQR 42.5) p = 0.002, in "nonexposed" and "exposed", respectively. After the adjusted analysis, a relationship was obtained between both the variables [-9,558 (95% CI-15,794; -3,321, p = 0.03)].

CONCLUSION

Higher DBI is associated with the impairment of functional status and, slightly to the deterioration of cognitive function in patients with multimorbidity. DBI should be considered in patients with multimorbidity to optimize the pharmacological treatment of a group of special interest due to its vulnerability.

Anticholinergic Drugs in Geriatric Psychopharmacology

Drugs with anticholinergic action are widely prescribed in the elderly population due to their potential clinical benefits. However, these benefits are limited by adverse effects which may be serious in particular circumstances. This review presents different aspects of the use of anticholinergics in old age with a focus in psychogeriatric patients. We critically review published data on benefits and disadvantages of anticholinergics, which are often controversial. Prevalence, pathophysiology and measurement methods of the anticholinergic action of drugs are discussed. We also present the most important drawbacks resulting from its use, including effects on cognition in healthy and cognitively impaired people, in aged schizophrenia patients, emergence of delirium and psychiatric symptoms, influence in functionality, hospitalization, institutionalization and mortality, and the potential benefits and limitations of their discontinuation. Finally, we suggest practical recommendations for the safe use of anticholinergics in clinical conditions affecting elderly patients, such as dementia, schizophrenia and acute hallucinatory episodes, depression, anxiety, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular conditions and urinary incontinence.

Sialorrhoea associated with sertraline use

INTRODUCTION

Sialorrhoea, which has been defined as excessive amount of saliva in the mouth, can be a debilitating symptom. Psychoactive drugs may cause an increase or decrease in saliva secretion. Antidepressant drugs, especially tricyclic antidepressants and less often serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are often associated with a decrease in salivation and the complaint of dry mouth.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 46-year-old male patient with complaints of being depressed, lack of motivation, irritability and difficulty in falling asleep was started on sertraline treatment and had trouble with sialorrhoea after the dose increase, without other causes of hypersalivation.

DISCUSSION

We could not find report of any case with antidepressant-associated sialorrhoea in the literature. Future cases may support a relationship between sertraline and sialorrhoea.

Association between Anticholinergic Medication Use and Risk of Dementia among Patients with Parkinson's Disease

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between anticholinergic medication use, categorized by anticholinergic cognitive burden (primary objective) and cumulative dose (secondary objective), and the risk of developing dementia among patients with Parkinson's disease.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study with an active comparator design.

DATA SOURCE

National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan (2001-2011).

PATIENTS

A total of 1232 adults with Parkinson's disease who were diagnosed between 2002 and 2004 and taking at least one antiparkinson medication during this period were included. Of these patients, 694 were exposed to anticholinergic medications categorized as mild (reference group), and 538 were exposed to anticholinergic medications categorized as moderate or severe (exposure group).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Exposure to different types of anticholinergic medications was categorized by using the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) scale, and cumulative doses of anticholinergic medications were measured by using the cumulative minimum doses (cMD) method. Associations between anticholinergic medication use and risk of dementia were assessed by multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. The type of anticholinergics used (moderate or severe vs mild ACB) was not significantly associated with an increased risk of developing dementia (hazard ratio [HR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72-1.27). After adjusting for confounders, a high cumulative dose of anticholinergic drug (> 1095 cumulative minimum doses [cMDs]) was found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of developing dementia when compared with a low cumulative dose of anticholinergic drug (≤ 90 cMDs) (HR 3.06, 95% CI 1.35-6.97).

CONCLUSION

Among patients with Parkinson's disease in Taiwan, those with a high cumulative dose of anticholinergics had an increased risk of being diagnosed with dementia. Physicians should consider prescribing the lowest therapeutic dose of anticholinergic medication when making treatment decisions for patients with Parkinson's disease.

[Current opportunities for symptomatic treatment of dysuria]

Dysuria is the one of the most common conditions in urology. Although dysuria is not an independent disease, it accompanies a wide range of urological diseases of both infectious and non-infectious origin. Dysuria is traditionally understood as a feeling of discomfort, a burning sensation, or a sensation of pain during urination. Despite a significant reduction in the quality of life of this category of patients, pathogenetic treatment of the underlying cause is often performed in routine clinical practice, while the dysuria itself can remain without proper attention. The current possibilities of symptomatic relief of dysuria are reviewed in this article.

Biperiden-Induced Delirium In A Five-Years Old Child

OBJECTIVE

Extrapyramidal adverse effects of antipsychotic drugs are more reported in children. Biperiden is an anticholinergic agent to treat the adverse effects of antipsychotic drugs. The drug has the potential to induce delirium at toxic doses. However, data are scarce about delirium associated with biperiden in children. Thus far, a case of delirium has been associated with biperiden in an adolescent patient. We report the first case of delirium associated with the use of biperiden in a preadolescent patient.

CASE REPORT

A boy aged five years and weighing 20 kilograms had been diagnosed as having oppositional defiant disorder and separation anxiety disorder in the previous treatment center. Ten milligrams fluoxetine and 0.25 milligrams risperidone had been initiated. On the third day of treatment, dystonia developed and he was administered with biperiden. An hour later, he was brought to our emergency clinic due to disorganized speech and behavior. His vital signs were stable. There were no findings in blood and urine tests. No electrolyte imbalance, liver, kidney, and thyroid dysfunction have been observed. His neurologic examination was unremarkable and no abnormal findings were shown on cranial magnetic resonance imaging. No other system findings or findings pointing out to infectious diseases have been observed. One milligram physostigmine was administered with intravenous infusion. However, symptoms did not resolve and he was diagnosed with delirium. Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale score was seven, indicating a "Probable" Adverse Drug Reaction. Half milligram haloperidol was administered bid for three days and he was discharged with complete recovery.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians must be aware of the risk of delirium when using non-toxic doses of biperiden in young children.

Pharmacotherapy for the treatment of depression in patients with alzheimer's disease: a treatment-resistant depressive disorder

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacotherapy for the treatment of depressive disorders in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) represents a clinical challenge. pharmacological options are often attempted after a period of watchful waiting (8-12 weeks). monoaminergic antidepressant drugs have shown only modest or null clinical benefits, maybe because the etiology of depressive symptoms in ad patients is fundamentally different from that of nondemented subjects.

AREAS COVERED

The following article looks at the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor sertraline, which is one of the most frequently studied antidepressant medications in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). It also discusses many other pharmacological approaches that have proven to be inadequate (antipsychotics, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, anticonvulsants, hormone replacement therapy) and new drug classes (mainly affecting glutamate transmission) that are being studied for treating depression in AD. It also gives discussion to the phase II RCT on the alternative drug S47445 and the potential effect on cognition of the multimodal antidepressant vortioxetine in older depressed patients. Finally, it discusses the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist ketamine.

EXPERT OPINION

The present RCT methodologies are too disparate to draw firm conclusions. Future studies are required to identify effective and multimodal pharmacological treatments that efficiently treat depression in AD. Genotyping may boost antidepressant treatment success.

Measuring anticholinergic exposure in patients with dementia: A comparative study of nine anticholinergic risk scales

OBJECTIVE

To describe the prevalence and concordance of anticholinergic exposure according to 9 published scales, to quantify the relative weight of the drug subtypes included in each scale, and to identify clinical variables related to anticholinergic exposure.

METHODS

Observational and cross-sectional study using 5323 cases of dementia diagnosed in the 7 hospitals of the public health care system of the Health Region of Girona (Spain) between 2007 and 2014 and registered by the Registry of Dementias of Girona (ReDeGi). We used the Pharmacy database that includes all the drugs prescribed by specialist and primary care physicians and dispensed in pharmacies. We calculated the anticholinergic exposure using the scoring rules of each scale. Age, gender, place of residence, dementia subtype, Clinical Dementia Rating score, Mini-Mental Status Examination score, and Blessed Dementia Rating Score at the moment of dementia diagnose were retrieved from the ReDeGi.

RESULTS

Prevalence of the annual anticholinergic exposure ranged from 36.3% to 69.0% according to the different scales, the concordance among scales was poor to moderate, and the central nervous system drugs accounted the most for anticholinergic exposure. Being in a nursing home, having depressive symptoms, having a non-Alzheimer's dementia subtype, the number of drug treatments, and the severity of dementia were main determinants of anticholinergic exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a large difference in outcomes among the 9 anticholinergic risk scales. Clinicians and researchers should be aware of these differences when using these instruments in patients with dementia.

[Not Available]

Zusammenfassung. In der Grundversorgerpraxis ist die überaktive Blase (OAB) bei der älteren, polymorbiden Patientin ein immer häufiger auftretendes Krankheitsbild. Die OAB wird definiert als imperativer Harndrang mit oder ohne Inkontinenz sowie Pollakisurie und Nykturie ohne Harnwegsinfektion oder andere Pathologie. Die Symptomatik schränkt die Betroffenen im Alltag deutlich ein. Das Behandlungskonzept basiert auf einer Stufentherapie. Neben Verhaltensschulung und Beckenbodentherapie gibt es auch die Möglichkeit einer medikamentösen Therapie. Diese ist jedoch wegen häufiger Nebenwirkungen und Wechselwirkungen nicht für alle Patientinnen geeignet. In Kombination mit medikamentöser Therapie oder bei Kontraindikation oder Versagen derselben gibt es die Möglichkeit der perkutanen posterioren tibialen Nervenstimulation (PTNS). Diese Therapieform kann ambulant angewendet werden, ist minimalinvasiv, nebenwirkungsarm und häufig erfolgreich.

Is bronchodilator the correct treatment for COPD subjects before EBUS?

Endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a reliable and commonly established technique, enabling real-time guidance of transbronchial needle aspiration of mediastinal and hilar structures and parabronchial lung masses. As EBUS-TBNA became more available and adopted by clinicians, questions emerged about the optimal performance of the procedure. Although EBUS is considered safe, there are few complications that could occur during the test, correlated with both the procedure itself and the patient's characteristics. Moreover, this technique is often addressed to patients with overlapping airways diseases, which might have higher risk of complications during the procedure. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients could experience EBUS-TBNA with a relative high frequency due to their risk of developing lung cancer. The irreversible bronchial constriction characteristic of the disease raises some questions on premedication before bronchoscopic procedures. It is mandatory to optimize every aspect of the procedure in order to minimize the risk of complications, especially for fragile patients. Whether the use of inhaled bronchodilators before the procedure could improve the outcome of the procedure in COPD patients is reviewed in this article. No clear indication emerged from the literature suggesting the need of more studies in order to clarify this point.

Analysis of spatiotemporal pattern and quantification of gastrointestinal slow waves caused by anticholinergic drugs

Anticholinergic drugs are well-known to cause adverse effects, such as constipation, but their effects on baseline contractile activity in the gut driven by slow waves is not well established. In a video-based gastrointestinal motility monitoring (GIMM) system, a mouse's small intestine was placed in Krebs solution and recorded using a high definition camera. Untreated controls were recorded for each specimen, then treated with a therapeutic concentration of the drug, and finally, treated with a supratherapeutic dose of the drug. Next, the video clips showing gastrointestinal motility were processed, giving us the segmentation motions of the intestine, which were then converted via Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) into their respective frequency spectrums. These contraction quantifications were analyzed from the video recordings under standardised conditions to evaluate the effect of drugs. Six experimental trials were included with benztropine and promethazine treatments. Only the supratherapeutic dose of benztropine was shown to significantly decrease the amplitude of contractions; at therapeutic doses of both drugs, neither frequency nor amplitude was significantly affected. We have demonstrated that intestinal slow waves can be analyzed based on the colonic frequency or amplitude at a supratherapeutic dose of the anticholinergic medications. More research is required on the effects of anticholinergic drugs on these slow waves to ascertain the true role of ICC in neurologic control of gastrointestinal motility.

Histopathologic and Urodynamic Effects of the Anticholinergic Drugs Oxybutynin, Tolterodine, and Trospium on the Bladder

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of intravesical instillation of the anticholinergic drugs oxybutynin, tolterodine, and trospium on bladder capacity and histopathological changes in the bladder mucosa.

METHODS

The study included 20 male New Zealand white rabbits that were randomly allocated to four groups of five. In the oxybutynin, tolterodine, and trospium groups, the drugs used were 1 mg/kg of crushed tablet mixed with 5 mL of saline, instilled intravesically once per day for 4 weeks. The control group was administered only 5 mL of saline once per day for 4 weeks. Urodynamic measurement of the bladder was made before and after treatment. At the end of the treatment the animals were killed and the bladders were evaluated histopathologically.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between pre- and post-treatment bladder capacity in any of the groups (P > 0.05). Histopathological evaluation showed that the mucosal epithelium was intact and there was minor inflammation in the control group and oxybutynin group (P > 0.05), whereas there was destruction of the mucosal epithelium and findings of diffuse inflammation in the tolterodine (P = 0.014) and trospium (P = 0.014) groups.

CONCLUSION

Intravesical oxybutynin treatment was observed to be safe; however, a single daily dose of oxybutynin may not be sufficient to increase bladder capacity. Intravesical use of trospium and tolterodine at high doses caused epithelial destruction and diffuse inflammation in the bladder mucosa. The irritation associated with epithelial destruction and inflammation prevented an increase in bladder capacity.

Factors associated with changes in exposure to anticholinergic and sedative medications in elderly hospitalized patients: multicentre longitudinal study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Elderly patients exposed to drugs with anticholinergic or sedative properties may have an increased risk of adverse events. This study aimed to assess the relationship between patient characteristics and changes of exposure to anticholinergic and sedative medications during their hospital stay.

METHODS

A multicentre longitudinal study was set up on hospitalized patients (aged ≥65 years) using at least one drug at admission. The primary outcome was change of exposure to anticholinergic and sedative drugs between admission and discharge. Sociodemographic characteristics of the patients, comorbidities, life habits and information about the hospital stay (origin of admission, reasons for hospitalization) were collected.

RESULTS

The study included 337 patients (mean age, 85.4 years) with an average hospital stay of 30.1 ± 37.5 days. The drug burden index increased during the hospital stay among males (P = 0.03), patients for whom the reason for hospitalization was either a stroke (P = 0.001) or inability to stay in their own home (P = 0.001), and patients with diabetes mellitus (P = 0.009). In the adjusted model, drug burden index increased among patients hospitalized for stroke, inability to stay in their own home or post-surgery, and for patients with diabetes mellitus or hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

The drug management of elderly patients during hospital stays may increase exposure to anticholinergic and sedative drugs. Although the anticholinergic and sedative properties may be in relation to the therapeutic purpose, they also represent an unexpected risk. Physicians and clinical pharmacists should consider performing optimization of the drug prescriptions for patients at risk.

Evaluating Outcomes in Patients with Overactive Bladder within an Integrated Healthcare Delivery System Using a Treatment Patterns Analyzer

BACKGROUND

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a relatively common disease that has been linked to a variety of comorbidities, reductions in quality of life, and increased healthcare costs. Antimuscarinic agents are the standard of care among pharmacologic treatments for OAB, but these drugs are linked to high levels of anticholinergic burden, especially in the elderly.

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate how efficient data analysis can be used to identify gaps in care as a result of improvement strategies for OAB within an integrated healthcare delivery system setting.

METHODS

We developed an OAB treatment patterns analyzer, a clinical outcomes software analysis program, to identify gaps in care, high anticholinergic burden, and potential quality improvement initiatives. Deidentified pharmacy and medical claims data from an integrated delivery network were imported into the OAB treatment patterns analyzer. Patients with a diagnosis of OAB who were continuously enrolled in the network between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2013, were identified and were imported into the analyzer. The analyzer used National Drug Code; International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical Modification; Current Procedural Terminology; and UB-92 codes to measure treatment patterns, comorbid conditions, anticholinergic burden, concomitant use with anticholinesterases, costs, and healthcare resource utilization.

RESULTS

Of 157,710 members in the integrated delivery network population, 7309 patients met the study eligibility criteria. Of patients taking medications for OAB, 85% were nonadherent and 73% discontinued treatment within 1 year. Among 1147 patients in the integrated healthcare delivery system who were using medications for OAB, 39 (3.4%) patients were concomitantly taking anticholinesterase drugs and an antimuscarinic agent. The per-month plan-paid cost per member was $318.67. Of all the patients with OAB within the population, the rates of all-cause office visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations were 81%, 6%, and 4%, respectively. The rate of clinically relevant anticholinergic burden was 16%, with higher rates among patients with dementia who were also receiving a branded (20%) or generic (24%) antimuscarinic drug.

CONCLUSION

In patients using medications for the treatment of OAB, the rates of medication persistence and adherence were poor. Antimuscarinic medications may place certain patient populations at risk for increased anticholinergic burden. Data included in the analyzer can be used to implement member-specific strategies to prevent poor outcomes and reduce associated healthcare costs and utilization.

Strategies for the prevention of catheter-related bladder discomfort: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

The ideal measures to prevent postoperative catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD) remain unestablished. We conducted the systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify the significance of potential interventions.

METHODS

We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis statement guidelines, and searched databases from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and referred Cochrane Library for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published before December 2014. Reference lists from reviews or related articles were screened and checked for the related RCTs. Data extraction was performed carefully by 2 authors, respectively, and methodological quality was assessed by scoring system. Meta-analysis was applied for studies using the similar strategies or same reagents on the similar participants focused on CRBD. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of postoperative CRBD.

RESULTS

We identified 8 RCTs with interventions ranging from perioperative managements to pharmacological or multicomponent interventions. Meta-analysis showed ketamine was associated with less incidence of CRBD compared with placebo (pool risk ratio [RR] = -0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.17-3.44, P < 0.01) at 0 hour, 1 hour (RR = -0.26, 95%CI = -0.38 to -0.13, P < 0.01), and 2 hours (RR = 0.31, 95%CI = 0.17-0.55, P < 0.01) and 6 hours (RR = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.11-0.49, P < 0.01) after operation. Oxybutynin did not affect the incidence of CRBD (RR = 0.46, 95%CI = 0.20-1.03, P = 0.06). Anticholinergic drugs also lower the incidence of CRBD at 0 hour (RR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.38-0.71, P < 0.01), 1 hour (RR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.51-0.86, P < 0.01), 2 hours (RR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.46-0.84, P < 0.01), and 6 hours (RR = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.38-0.81, P < 0.01) postoperatively. Tramadol and gabapentin were also useful in lower the incidence and severity of CRBD in a RCT with 50 patients.

CONCLUSION

The included studies showed great effectiveness in incidence of postoperative CRBD. Meta-analysis supported that ketamine, oxybutynin, and anticholinergic reagents interventions were useful in preventing postoperative catheter-related bladder discomfort.

TRANSITORY CONSECUTIVE ESOTROPIA AFTER AMITRIPTYLINE TREATMENT FOR NOCTURNAL ENURESIS -CASE REPORT

We report the case of a 9-year-old child operated for intermittent exotropia and V-pattern with a good result 2 months after bilateral Lateral Rectus Muscle Recession. The binocular vision was restored in primary position and down-gaze with excellent stereopsis at near and distance and a deviation of +4 PD in primary position. Three months later, the patient developed a consecutive esotropia of + 18 PD in primary position with diplopia in all gazes triggered by Amitriptyline treatment prescribed one month earlier for nocturnal enuresis. Diplopia was solved in time after anticholinergic medication cessation. During the recovery period, Fresnell prisms have been used in order to eliminate diplopia. Three months after diplopia onset, the binocular vision was restored showing a transitory and reversible effect of the Amitriptyline treatment. Fusion vulnerability can be a possible risk factor in developing diplopia and esotropia in patients treated with anticholinergic drugs.

Minimizing anticholinergic drug prescribing in older hospitalized patients: a full audit cycle

INTRODUCTION

Anticholinergic drugs are associated with poor outcomes in older patients but no specific intervention strategies aimed at reducing anticholinergic drug exposure have been described.

OBJECTIVES

To identify whether a consultant-led medication review targeting anticholinergics would reduce anticholinergic drug exposure [number of anticholinergic drugs and Anticholinergic Risk Scale (ARS) score].

METHODS

The first phase of the audit included 70 consecutive admissions (mean age 84 years, 53 women). ARS score was calculated on admission and after initial consultant review. Re-audit was undertaken on another 70 consecutive admissions (mean age 83 years, 43 women) after introducing a system of informing the responsible consultant of the ARS score at their first review.

RESULTS

Drugs with anticholinergic effects (n = 53) were prescribed preadmission to 45/140 (32%) of patients. Consultant geriatrician review reduced ARS scores (p = 0.01), especially following the introduction of the information system (p = 0.002). In the first arm of the audit, 51 (73%) patients had ARS of 0 after a consultant's review compared with 47 (67%) patients on admission, whilst 67 (96%) patients had ARS of 2 or less after a consultant's review compared with 63 (90%) patients on admission. In the second arm of the audit, 59 (84%) patients had ARS of 0 after a consultant's review compared with 48 (69%) patients on admission, whilst 70 (100%) patients had ARS of 2 or less after a consultant's review compared with 69 (99%) patients on admission. Anticholinergic drugs were either stopped, or their dose reduced, in 35% of patients in the first arm of the audit and in 73% of patients in the re-audit (odds ratio 5.0, 95% confidence interval 1.4-17.8).

CONCLUSION

Consultant-led medication review (standard practice) was effective at reducing anticholinergic drug exposure in the acute setting. A system of alerting clinicians to patients prescribed anticholinergic medications further reduced anticholinergic drug exposure.

Use of botulinum toxin in individuals with neurogenic detrusor overactivity: state of the art review

BACKGROUND

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injection into the bladder wall has been shown to be an effective alternative to anticholinergic (antimuscarinic) medications and more invasive surgery in those with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) and urinary incontinence who are not tolerating anticholinergic medications. In August 2011, Botox(®) (onabotulinumtoxinA) received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for this use. Clinically, intradetrusor injection of BoNT has been found to decrease urinary incontinence and improve quality of life. Its impact on urodynamic parameters is an increase in the maximum cystometric (bladder) capacity and decrease in the maximum detrusor pressures. The most common side effects are urinary tract infections and urinary retention. There have been rare reports and a black box warning of distant spread of BoNT. BoNT has gained popularity because of its effectiveness and long duration of action, relative ease of administration, easy learning curve, reproducibility of results on repeated administration, and low incidence of complications.

OBJECTIVE

To discuss the structure and function, mechanisms of action, clinical and urodynamic studies, injection technique, potential beneficial and adverse effects, and potential areas of research of BoNT.

METHODS

Literature search focused on botulinum toxin in MEDLINE/PubMed. Search terms included botulinum toxin, neurogenic bladder, NDO, botox bladder, botox spinal cord injury, botox, FDA, botox side effects. All papers identified were English language, full-text papers. In addition, English abstracts of non-English papers were noted. The reference list of identified articles was also searched for further papers.

CONCLUSION

Botulinum toxin is an alternative treatment for individuals with NDO who fail to tolerate anticholinergic medications. Its popularity has increased because of the literature, which has supported its effectiveness, safety, easy use and learning curve, reproducibility of results on repeated use, and recent FDA approval of Botox(®) (onabotulinumtoxinA).

Adherence, persistence and switch rates for anticholinergic drugs used for overactive bladder in women: data from the Norwegian Prescription Database

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the pattern of use of anticholinergic drugs for overactive bladder among women in Norway with regard to persistence, adherence and switch rates.

DESIGN

Observational study.

SETTING AND SAMPLE

Data from the Norwegian Prescription Database on prescriptions for tolterodine, solifenacin, darifenacin and fesoterodine filled in Norwegian pharmacies from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2010.

METHODS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Data from the database were analysed at an individual level, and drug persistence, discontinuation rates and switch rates during a follow-up period of 365 days after the first prescription were calculated.

RESULTS

Overall 1-year persistence for new users was 38.0%. Within the same period, a total of 10.3% switched from the index drug to another drug in the same group, whereas 51.7% discontinued without switching. Users of solifenacin and tolterodine were somewhat more persistent than users of darifenacin and fesoterodine. Persistence was lowest (20.9%) in the age group 18-39 years, increased with age and was highest in the age groups 70-79 years and 80 years and above (43.5 and 43.3%, respectively). In total, 31.9% filled only one prescription of the drug and, of these, only one of four women switched to another drug. The proportion who were adherent during treatment was 60.4%.

CONCLUSIONS

The discontinuation rate for anticholinergic drugs for overactive bladder in women is high. The reasons why patients stop using them remain obscure but could be related both to a limited clinical effect and an unacceptable adverse effect burden.

Reducing inappropriate, anticholinergic and psychotropic drugs among older residents in assisted living facilities: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Use of inappropriate drugs is common among institutionalized older people. Rigorous trials investigating the effect of the education of staff in institutionalized settings on the harm related to older people's drug treatment are still scarce. The aim of this trial is to investigate whether training professionals in assisted living facilities reduces the use of inappropriate drugs among residents and has an effect on residents' quality of life and use of health services.

METHODS AND DESIGN

During years 2011 and 2012, a sample of residents in assisted living facilities in Helsinki (approximately 212) will be recruited, having offered to participate in a trial aiming to reduce their harmful drugs. Their wards will be randomized into two arms: one, those in which staff will be trained in two half-day sessions, including case studies to identify inappropriate, anticholinergic and psychotropic drugs among their residents, and two, a control group with usual care procedures and delayed training. The intervention wards will have an appointed nurse who will be responsible for taking care of the medication of the residents on her ward, and taking any problems to the consulting doctor, who will be responsible for the overall care of the patient. The trial will last for twelve months, the assessment time points will be zero, six and twelve months. The primary outcomes will be the proportion of persons using inappropriate, anticholinergic, or more than two psychotropic drugs, and the change in the mean number of inappropriate, anticholinergic and psychotropic drugs among residents. Secondary endpoints will be, for example, the change in the mean number of drugs, the proportion of residents having significant drug-drug interactions, residents' health-related quality of life (HRQOL) according to the 15D instrument, cognition according to verbal fluency and clock-drawing tests and the use and cost of health services, especially hospitalizations.

DISCUSSION

To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale randomized trial exploring whether relatively light intervention, that is, staff training, will have an effect on reducing harmful drugs and improving QOL among institutionalized older people.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ACTRN12611001078943.