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Less Education Predicts Anticholinesterase Discontinuation in Dementia Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 September 2014

Solin Saleh ,
Andrew Kirk ,
Debra G. Morgan  and
Chandima Karunanayake
Solin Saleh*
Affiliation:
College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Andrew Kirk
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Debra G. Morgan
Affiliation:
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Chandima Karunanayake
Affiliation:
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
*
College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 5D40 Health Sciences building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon SK, S7N 5E5, Canada. email: sds673@mail.usask.ca
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Abstract:

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Objective:

We investigated patient socio-demographic, clinical and functional factors predicting cholinesterase inhibitor discontinuation by patients presenting to a memory clinic in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Methods:

Data collection began in March 2004 at the Rural and Remote Memory Clinic where family physicians referred their non-institutionalized patients. Neurological and neuropsychological assessment, patient and caregiver questionnaires provided the socio-demographic, clinical and functional variables. Univariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine possible associations between each independent variable and the binary outcome variable of treatment discontinuation. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine predictors of cholinesterase inhibitor discontinuation within six months of drug initiation.

Results:

Our sample consisted of the first 63 patients (60.3% female) for whom we prescribed a cholinesterase inhibitor. The mean age at clinic day was 74.56 years (SD=7.78). We found that years of formal education was the only variable significantly associated with cholinesterase inhibitor discontinuation by six months. The more years of formal education, the lower the rate of drug discontinuation by six months.

Conclusions:

Likelihood of cholinesterase inhibitor discontinuation by six months was predicted by fewer years of formal education.

Type
Original Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 40 , Issue 5 , September 2013 , pp. 684 - 690
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 2013

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