Open AccessAlzheimer's disease medication and risk of all‐cause mortality and all‐cause hospitalization: A retrospective cohort study
Author(s) -
Bhattacharjee Sandipan,
Patanwala Asad E.,
LoCiganic WeiHsuan,
Malone Daniel C.,
Lee Jeannie K.,
Knapp Shan M.,
Warholak Terri,
Burke William J.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia: translational research and clinical interventions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.49
H-Index - 30
ISSN - 2352-8737
DOI - 10.1016/j.trci.2019.05.005
Subject(s) - retrospective cohort study , medicine , disease , cohort , cohort study , pediatrics , emergency medicine
Identifying Alzheimer's disease (AD) pharmacologic treatment options that effectively reduce the risk of mortality and hospitalization in real‐world settings is critical. Methods We compared donepezil, galantamine, memantine, oral rivastigmine, and transdermal rivastigmine with regard to all‐cause mortality and all‐cause hospitalization risk among fee‐for‐service Medicare beneficiaries with AD (aged ≥ 65 years) using a retrospective cohort study design. Our primary analysis was based on intention to treat (ITT), but we also present as‐treated analysis. Results In our final study sample (N = 21,558), significant difference in survival among index AD medication groups were observed with donepezil being associated with better survival than memantine, and oral and transdermal forms of rivastigmine for both ITT and as‐treated analysis. Difference in hazards of all‐cause hospitalization among index AD medication groups was observed in ITT analysis but not in as‐treated analysis. Discussion Significant differences exist in terms of mortality and hospitalization risk with different AD medication initiation in real‐world setting.