The relationship between anticholinergic burden and frailty in the year preceding a diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONLittle is known regarding the relationship between anticholinergic medications and frailty in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).METHODSAnticholinergic Cognitive Burden Scale (ACB) and Claims‐based Frailty Index scores were calculated for 12 months prior to the dementia diagnosis using electronic medical record and claims data. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between ACB and odds of frailty.RESULTSCompared to controls (n = 525), a diagnosis of DLB (n = 175; adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 15.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.0–33.9) or Alzheimer's disease (AD: n = 525; aOR = 7.7, 95% CI: 4.4–13.7) was associated with an increased odds of frailty. Patients with DLB had greater prescriptions for anticholinergic medications than patients with AD (pB < 0.001; 23% vs 9.7%). ACB was positively correlated with frailty for all groups (r = 0.30 to 0.47, p < 0.001).DISCUSSIONCumulative anticholinergic burden may be a modifiable predictor of frailty among older adults, including those newly diagnosed with dementia.Highlights Patients with newly diagnosed dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are more likely to have prescriptions for anticholinergic medications relative to patients newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and older adults without documented cognitive impairment. In the year prior to a documented dementia diagnosis, 74% of patients with DLB and 66% of patients with AD had evidence of frailty. Anticholinergic medication burden was associated with frailty among all older adults in the study, including those without a dementia diagnosis.