Psychotropic drug use and mortality in old people with dementia: investigating sex differences
Abstract Background Psychotropic drugs are common among old people with dementia, and have been associated with increased mortality. Previous studies have not investigated sex differences in this risk. This study was conducted to analyse associations between the use of antipsychotics, antidepressant...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40360-017-0142-9 |
| _version_ | 1819236980589854720 |
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| author | Jon Brännström Gustaf Boström Erik Rosendahl Peter Nordström Håkan Littbrand Hugo Lövheim Yngve Gustafson |
| author_facet | Jon Brännström Gustaf Boström Erik Rosendahl Peter Nordström Håkan Littbrand Hugo Lövheim Yngve Gustafson |
| author_sort | Jon Brännström |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Psychotropic drugs are common among old people with dementia, and have been associated with increased mortality. Previous studies have not investigated sex differences in this risk. This study was conducted to analyse associations between the use of antipsychotics, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines and 2-year mortality in old people with dementia, and to investigate sex differences therein. Methods In total, 1037 participants (74% women; mean age, 89 years) with dementia were included from four cohort studies and followed for 2 years. Data were collected through home visits and medical records. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyse associations between ongoing baseline drug use and mortality. Multiple possible confounders were evaluated and adjusted for. Results In fully adjusted models including data from the whole population, no association between baseline psychotropic drug use and increased 2-year mortality was seen. Significant sex differences were found in mortality associated with antidepressant use, which was protective in men, but not in women (hazard ratio [HR] 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40–0.92 and HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.87–1.38, respectively). The interaction term for sex was significant in analyses of benzodiazepine use, with a higher mortality risk among men than among women. Conclusions Among old people with dementia, ongoing psychotropic drug use at baseline was not associated with increased mortality in analyses adjusted for multiple confounders. Sex differences in mortality risk associated with antidepressant and benzodiazepine use were seen, highlighting the need for further investigation of the impact of sex. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T13:13:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8368381931854b26b8a1b1b34d2dcbe4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-6511 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T13:13:03Z |
| publishDate | 2017-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology |
| spelling | doaj.art-8368381931854b26b8a1b1b34d2dcbe42022-12-21T17:45:41ZengBMCBMC Pharmacology and Toxicology2050-65112017-05-0118111110.1186/s40360-017-0142-9Psychotropic drug use and mortality in old people with dementia: investigating sex differencesJon Brännström0Gustaf Boström1Erik Rosendahl2Peter Nordström3Håkan Littbrand4Hugo Lövheim5Yngve Gustafson6Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå UniversityDepartment of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå UniversityDepartment of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Umeå UniversityDepartment of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå UniversityDepartment of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå UniversityDepartment of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå UniversityDepartment of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå UniversityAbstract Background Psychotropic drugs are common among old people with dementia, and have been associated with increased mortality. Previous studies have not investigated sex differences in this risk. This study was conducted to analyse associations between the use of antipsychotics, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines and 2-year mortality in old people with dementia, and to investigate sex differences therein. Methods In total, 1037 participants (74% women; mean age, 89 years) with dementia were included from four cohort studies and followed for 2 years. Data were collected through home visits and medical records. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyse associations between ongoing baseline drug use and mortality. Multiple possible confounders were evaluated and adjusted for. Results In fully adjusted models including data from the whole population, no association between baseline psychotropic drug use and increased 2-year mortality was seen. Significant sex differences were found in mortality associated with antidepressant use, which was protective in men, but not in women (hazard ratio [HR] 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40–0.92 and HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.87–1.38, respectively). The interaction term for sex was significant in analyses of benzodiazepine use, with a higher mortality risk among men than among women. Conclusions Among old people with dementia, ongoing psychotropic drug use at baseline was not associated with increased mortality in analyses adjusted for multiple confounders. Sex differences in mortality risk associated with antidepressant and benzodiazepine use were seen, highlighting the need for further investigation of the impact of sex.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40360-017-0142-9Alzheimer’s diseaseAntidepressantsAntipsychoticsBenzodiazepinesCohort studyDementia |
| spellingShingle | Jon Brännström Gustaf Boström Erik Rosendahl Peter Nordström Håkan Littbrand Hugo Lövheim Yngve Gustafson Psychotropic drug use and mortality in old people with dementia: investigating sex differences BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology Alzheimer’s disease Antidepressants Antipsychotics Benzodiazepines Cohort study Dementia |
| title | Psychotropic drug use and mortality in old people with dementia: investigating sex differences |
| title_full | Psychotropic drug use and mortality in old people with dementia: investigating sex differences |
| title_fullStr | Psychotropic drug use and mortality in old people with dementia: investigating sex differences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychotropic drug use and mortality in old people with dementia: investigating sex differences |
| title_short | Psychotropic drug use and mortality in old people with dementia: investigating sex differences |
| title_sort | psychotropic drug use and mortality in old people with dementia investigating sex differences |
| topic | Alzheimer’s disease Antidepressants Antipsychotics Benzodiazepines Cohort study Dementia |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40360-017-0142-9 |
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