Introduction
Methods
Data Source
Cohort Definition
Prescription Proportion
Supplementary Analysis
Statistical Analysis
Compliance with Ethics Guidelines
Results
Patient Characteristics
Characteristic | Group 1 (2010–2011) | Group 2 (2012–2014) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
n = 28,581 |
n = 75,011 | |||
n
| % |
n
| % | |
Sex | ||||
Female | 18,279 | 64.0 | 48,360 | 64.5 |
Male | 10,302 | 36.0 | 26,651 | 35.5 |
Age | ||||
Mean (SD) | 79.6 | 7.4 | 80.9 | 7.3 |
≤64 | 1012 | 3.5 | 1965 | 2.6 |
65–74 | 4997 | 17.5 | 10,589 | 14.1 |
75–84 | 15,414 | 53.9 | 38,299 | 51.1 |
≥85 | 7158 | 25.0 | 24,158 | 32.2 |
Co-prescribed drugs | ||||
Antidepressants | 4872 | 17.0 | 13,544 | 18.1 |
Antipsychotics | 5105 | 17.9 | 14,147 | 18.9 |
Antihypertensives | 6223 | 21.8 | 19,525 | 26.0 |
Antihyperlipidemics | 3488 | 12.2 | 10,960 | 14.6 |
Antidiabetics | 1814 | 6.3 | 6140 | 8.2 |
Polypharmacy | ||||
0–4 | 18,957 | 66.3 | 45,151 | 60.2 |
≥5 | 9624 | 33.7 | 29,860 | 39.8 |
Prescription Trends
Medications for AD | Group 1 (2010–2011) | Group 2 (2012–2014) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
n = 28,581 |
n = 75,011 | |||
n
| % |
n
| % | |
Monotherapy | 28,302 | 99.0 | 70,715 | 94.3 |
Donepezil | 26,378 | 92.3 | 44,741 | 59.6 |
Generic of donepezil | 172 | 0.6 | 15,626 | 20.8 |
Memantine | 799 | 2.8 | 10,034 | 13.4 |
Galantamine | 791 | 2.8 | 10,588 | 14.1 |
Rivastigmine | 334 | 1.2 | 5352 | 7.1 |
Combination therapy | 279 | 1.0 | 4296 | 5.7 |
Donepezil plus memantine | 235 | 0.8 | 3123 | 4.2 |
Discontinuation Within 1 Year
Variable | Univariate analysis | Multivariable analysis | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Odds ratio | 95% CI |
p value | Odds ratio | 95% CI |
p value | |
Sex | ||||||
Male (vs. female) | 1.08 | 1.05–1.11 | <0.0001 | 1.09 | 1.06–1.12 | <0.0001 |
Year | ||||||
65–74 (vs. ≤64) | 0.86 | 0.83–0.90 | <0.0001 | 1.04 | 0.96–1.13 | 0.319 |
75–84 (vs. ≤64) | 0.92 | 0.90–0.94 | <0.0001 | 1.17 | 1.08–1.26 | 0.0001 |
≥85 (vs. ≤64) | 1.23 | 1.19–1.26 | <0.0001 | 1.42 | 1.31–1.54 | <0.0001 |
Medications for AD | ||||||
Memantine (vs. donepezil) | 1.38 | 1.33–1.44 | <0.0001 | 1.34 | 1.29–1.40 | <0.0001 |
Galantamine (vs. donepezil) | 1.01 | 0.97–1.05 | 0.587 | |||
Rivastigmine (vs. donepezil) | 1.19 | 1.12–1.25 | <0.0001 | 1.20 | 1.13–1.26 | <0.0001 |
Co–prescribed drugs | ||||||
Antidepressants (vs. none) | 0.97 | 0.94–1.01 | 0.133 | |||
Antipsychotics (vs. none) | 1.06 | 1.03–1.09 | 0.001 | 1.08 | 1.04–1.12 | <0.0001 |
Antihypertensives (vs. none) | 0.77 | 0.75–0.80 | <0.0001 | 0.81 | 0.78–0.84 | <0.0001 |
Antihyperlipidemic (vs. none) | 0.71 | 0.68–0.74 | <0.0001 | 0.78 | 0.75–0.81 | <0.0001 |
Antidiabetics (vs. none) | 0.88 | 0.84–0.93 | <0.0001 | 1.03 | 0.98–1.09 | 0.228 |
Polypharmacy | ||||||
≥5 (vs. 0–4 drugs) | 0.88 | 0.86–0.90 | <0.0001 | 0.96 | 0.93–0.99 | 0.007 |
Year | ||||||
2012–2015 (vs. 2010–2011) | 1.10 | 1.06–1.13 | <0.0001 | 1.04 | 1.01–1.07 | 0.008 |
Variable | Univariate analysis | Multivariable analysis | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Odds ratio | 95% CI |
p value | Odds ratio | 95% CI |
p value | |
Sex | ||||||
Male (vs. female) | 1.00 | 0.92–1.09 | 0.952 | |||
Age | ||||||
65–74 (vs. ≤64) | 0.72 | 0.65–0.81 | <0.0001 | 1.04 | 0.82–1.32 | 0.767 |
75–84 (vs. ≤64) | 0.79 | 0.73–0.86 | <0.0001 | 1.19 | 0.95–1.49 | 0.140 |
≥85 (vs. ≤64) | 1.77 | 1.60–1.95 | <0.0001 | 2.16 | 1.68–2.77 | <0.0001 |
Medications for AD | ||||||
Memantine (vs. donepezil) | 1.45 | 1.27–1.66 | <0.0001 | 1.26 | 1.10–1.45 | 0.001 |
Galantamine (vs. donepezil) | 0.68 | 0.62–0.76 | <0.0001 | 0.74 | 0.67–0.82 | <0.0001 |
Rivastigmine (vs. donepezil) | 0.76 | 0.66–0.87 | 0.000 | 0.73 | 0.64–0.85 | <0.0001 |
Co-prescribed drugs | ||||||
Antidepressants (vs. none) | 1.52 | 1.35–1.72 | <0.0001 | 1.22 | 1.07–1.39 | 0.004 |
Antipsychotics (vs. none) | 1.34 | 1.19–1.50 | <0.0001 | 1.08 | 0.96–1.23 | 0.202 |
Antihypertensives (vs. none) | 1.22 | 1.11–1.35 | <0.0001 | 0.91 | 0.81–1.02 | 0.090 |
Antihyperlipidemics (vs. none) | 1.15 | 1.01–1.29 | 0.030 | 0.92 | 0.81–1.05 | 0.237 |
Antidiabetics (vs. none) | 1.32 | 1.12–1.56 | 0.001 | 1.10 | 0.92–1.32 | 0.271 |
Polypharmacy | ||||||
≥5 (vs. 0–4 drugs) | 1.69 | 1.55–1.85 | <0.0001 | 1.68 | 1.47–1.91 | 0.004 |
Interaction effect | ||||||
Age (≥85) × polypharmacy (vs. none) | 0.71 | 0.57–0.87 | 0.001 |