The Influence of Polypharmacy on the Initiation of Anti-Dementia Therapy in Germany

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Influence of Polypharmacy on the Initiation of Anti-Dementia Therapy in Germany

AU - Bohlken, Jens

AU - Jacob, Louis

AU - van den Bussche, Hendrik

AU - Kostev, Karel

PY - 2018/7

Y1 - 2018/7

N2 - The goal of the present retrospective study was to focus on the potential influence of polypharmacy on the initiation of antidementia therapy in patients diagnosed with dementia in general practices in Germany. The current study sample included patients diagnosed with dementia in 1,217 general practices in Germany between 2014 and 2016 (index date). The primary outcome measure was the rate of prescription of anti-dementia drugs within one year following the index date. The explanatory variable was the number of different drugs prescribed at baseline per patient. Independent variables included age, sex, and type of dementia. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to study the impact of the number of different drugs prescribed at baseline per participant on the odds of receiving anti-dementia therapy (in all patients and in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease). The study included 21,888 patients with all-cause-dementia. Mean age was 80.2 years (SD = 7.3 years) and 61.4% of the study population were women. Individuals receiving six drugs or more at baseline were significantly less likely to be prescribed anti-dementia treatment when compared to those without any drug at baseline (6- 9 drugs: odds ratio [OR] = 0.75;≥10 drugs: OR = 0.58). In the subgroup of patients with Alzheimer's disease, the odds of being prescribed anti-dementia therapy were lower in individuals with four drugs or more, compared to patients who had not been prescribed any drugs at baseline (4- 5 drugs: OR = 0.60; 6- 9 drugs: OR = 0.49;≥10 drugs: OR = 0.36). There is a negative association between polypharmacy and antidementia therapy initiation in general practices in Germany.

AB - The goal of the present retrospective study was to focus on the potential influence of polypharmacy on the initiation of antidementia therapy in patients diagnosed with dementia in general practices in Germany. The current study sample included patients diagnosed with dementia in 1,217 general practices in Germany between 2014 and 2016 (index date). The primary outcome measure was the rate of prescription of anti-dementia drugs within one year following the index date. The explanatory variable was the number of different drugs prescribed at baseline per patient. Independent variables included age, sex, and type of dementia. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to study the impact of the number of different drugs prescribed at baseline per participant on the odds of receiving anti-dementia therapy (in all patients and in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease). The study included 21,888 patients with all-cause-dementia. Mean age was 80.2 years (SD = 7.3 years) and 61.4% of the study population were women. Individuals receiving six drugs or more at baseline were significantly less likely to be prescribed anti-dementia treatment when compared to those without any drug at baseline (6- 9 drugs: odds ratio [OR] = 0.75;≥10 drugs: OR = 0.58). In the subgroup of patients with Alzheimer's disease, the odds of being prescribed anti-dementia therapy were lower in individuals with four drugs or more, compared to patients who had not been prescribed any drugs at baseline (4- 5 drugs: OR = 0.60; 6- 9 drugs: OR = 0.49;≥10 drugs: OR = 0.36). There is a negative association between polypharmacy and antidementia therapy initiation in general practices in Germany.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.3233/JAD-180382

DO - 10.3233/JAD-180382

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 29889071

VL - 64

SP - 827

EP - 833

JO - J ALZHEIMERS DIS

JF - J ALZHEIMERS DIS

SN - 1387-2877

IS - 3

ER -