Study Results from University of Heidelberg Broaden Understanding of Alzheimer Disease (Alzheimer’s disease medication and outcomes of hospitalisation among patients with dementia)

2019 NOV 27 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Hospital & Nursing Home Daily -- Investigators publish new report on Neurodegenerative Diseases and Conditions - Alzheimer Disease. According to news reporting from Heidelberg, Germany, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “The use of Alzheimer disease medication for the treatment of dementia symptoms has shown significant benefits with regards to functional and cognitive outcomes as well as nursing home placement (NHP) and mortality. Hospitalisations in these patient groups are characterised by extended length of stays (LOS), frequent readmissions, frequent NHP and high-mortality rates.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from the University of Heidelberg, “The impact of Alzheimer disease medication on the aforementioned outcomes remains still unknown. This study assessed the association of Alzheimer disease medication with outcomes of hospitalisation among patients with Alzheimer disease and other forms of dementia. A dynamic retrospective cohort study from 2004 to 2015 was conducted which claims data from a German health insurance company. People with dementia (PWD) were identified using ICD-10 codes and diagnostic measures. The main predictor of interest was the use of Alzheimer disease medication. Hospitalisation outcomes included LOS, readmissions, NHP and mortality during and after hospitalisation across four hospitalisations. Confounding was addressed using a propensity score throughout all analyses. A total of 1380 users of Alzheimer disease medication and 6730 non-users were identified. The use of Alzheimer disease medication was associated with significantly shorter LOS during the first hospitalisations with estimates for the second, third and fourth showed a tendency towards shorter hospital stays. In addition, current users of Alzheimer disease medication had a lower risk of hospital readmission after the first two hospitalisations. These associations were not significant for the third and fourth hospitalisations. Post-hospitalisation NHP and mortality rates also tended to be lower among current users than among non-users but differences did not reach statistical significance.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Our results indicate that Alzheimer disease medication might contribute to a reduction of the LOS and the number of readmissions in PWD.”

For more information on this research see: Alzheimer’s disease medication and outcomes of hospitalisation among patients with dementia. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 2019;():1-9. (Cambridge University Press - www.cambridge.org; Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences - http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=EPS)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting T. Mollers, Network Aging Research, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Additional authors for this research include L. Perna, H. Stocker, P. Ihle, I. Schubert, B. Schottker, L. Frolich, J. Bauer and H. Brenner.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1017/s2045796019000702. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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