Examining the impact of Anticholinergic Burden on Hospitalized Older People Receiving Concomitant Cholinesterase...

Background: Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors enhance central cholinergic function and are considered as standard treatments to ameliorate symptoms relating to Alzheimer's disease. Though anticholinergic medications directly antagonize the effects of ChE inhibitors, they are commonly prescribed among hospitalized adults. Objective: To determine the impact of high anticholinergic burden (ACB) on length of stay (LOS) and 30-day readmission rates among hospitalized patients receiving concomitant ChE inhibitors. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at a tertiary care academic medical center involving hospitalized patients on medical floors who received any Food and Drug Administration-approved ChE inhibitors during their hospital stay from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023. The primary outcome of the study was to compare hospital LOS among patients with high (ACB ≥ 3) versus low (ACB < 3) ACB. The secondary outcome was to assess the impact of ACB burden on 30-day readmission rates. Results: Among hospitalized adults, patients with high ACB exposure had a significantly longer hospital LOS (median: 5.50 vs 4.25 days; P < 0.001) than patients with low ACB exposure, after adjusting for covariates. Analysis of secondary outcome revealed that though the high ACB group had a higher 30-day readmission rate compared with the lower ACB group (6.8% vs. 2.2%), the difference was not statistically significant (OR = 3.46, 95% CI 0.85-14.08; P = 0.083). Conclusion: A high ACB exposure among older individuals taking concurrent ChE inhibitors is associated with a longer hospital stay.