Study, year Anticholinergic scale Drug Exposure; Exposure Period Adjustments Outcome Results
Hospital non-surgical
Ceppi, 2023 ACB Anticholinergics taken by patient at hospital admission, single time point Age, sex, rehabilitation discipline, index date and time span between admission and index date Incident delirium ACB ≥3 vs <3: OR 2.59 (1.41-4.73)*
Lee, 2021 ACB Anticholinergics being taken by patients at hospital admission, single time point Age, Sex, CCI, number of medications, length of stay, types of cancer, admission through emergency department, vital signs, laboratory results Incident delirium Patients with an increase in ACB score vs those with no increase: OR 13.45 (2.78-64.96)*
Rigor, 2020 ACB Anticholinergics being taken by patients at hospital admission – single time point Age, sex, CCI, dementia, number of comorbidities, number of outpatient drugs, number of inpatient drugs, number of outpatient ACB drugs, number of inpatient ACB drugs Incident Delirium ACB:
Number of medications: OR 0.55 (0.27 – 1.13)
Sum of points: OR 1.65 (1.09 – 2.51)*
Vondeling, 2020 ADS Anticholinergics being taken by patients at hospital admission – single time point Age, sex, drinking status, SOFA, APACHE IV, depression, diabetes, hypertension, sepsis or septic shock, cerebrovascular disease, cardiac failure, elective ICU admission (vs emergency), surgery before ICU admission Incident delirium ADS Sum of points:
All patients:
1 vs 0: sHR 1.13 (0.91 - 1.40)
≥2 vs 0: sHR 1.32 (1.06 - 1.64)*
Age ≥ 65 years, no severe sepsis and/or septic shock:
1 vs 0: sHR 1.52 (0.99 - 2.33)*
≥2 vs 0: sHR 2.15 (1.43 - 3.25)*
Age ≥ 65 years, severe sepsis and/or septic shock:
1 vs 0: sHR 0.75 (0.47 - 1.20)
≥2 vs 0: sHR 0.84 (0.51 - 1.39)
Caeiro, 2004 None ACH use vs non-use prior to admission - single time point Non-neuroleptics ACH during hospitalization, medical complications, ACH taken before stroke and ICH Prevalent delirium ACH use vs non-use before stroke: OR 11.3 (1.19-108.2)*
Egberts, 2017 ARS, ACB, List of Chew Anticholinergics taken by patient at hospital admission, single time point Age, sex, number of medications Prevalent delirium ARS:
Use vs non-use: OR 1.73 (1.23 - 2.45)*
Number of medications OR 1.38 (1.10 - 1.73)*
Sum of points:
1-2 vs 0 OR 1.7 (1.16 - 2.49)*
≥ 3 vs 0 OR 1.83 (1.06 - 3.15)*
ACB:
Use vs non-use: OR 1.1 (0.77 - 1.59)
Number of medications: OR 1.07 (0.94 - 1.23)
Sum of points:
1-2 vs 0: OR 0.99 (0.67 - 1.46)
≥3 vs 0: OR 1.39 (0.89 - 2.18)
List of Chew:
Use vs non-use: OR 1.09 (0.78 - 1.51)
number of medications: OR 1.11 (0.94 - 1.31)
Sum of points:
0.5-1 vs 0: OR 1 (0.71 - 1.43)
≥1.5 vs 0: OR 1.34 (0.85 - 2.11)
Moorey, 2016 ACB, ADS Anticholinergics being taken by patients at hospital admission, single time point Age, number of anticholinergics, polypharmacy, anticholinesterase use Prevalent delirium Non-significant, Not reported
Naja, 2015 Combined ACB - ADS Anticholinergics being taken by patients before hospital admission, single time point Age, sex, education, CCI, cognitive level (MMSE), sensorial disturbances, marital status, place of residence (with spouse or other family member, alone or in an institution), socioeconomic level before retirement, perceived health status on a numeric scale (0-10), number of previous hospitalizations, creatinine clearance, serum albumin Prevalent delirium Anticholinergic burden at home with delirium at day 1, day 3, day 5, day 8, day 15 Not significant
Pasina, 2019 ACB Anticholinergics being taken by patients at hospital admission, single time point Age, sex, dementia, cancer, mini nutritional assessment Prevalent delirium ACB sum of points:
1 vs 0: OR 0.93 (0.49-1.79)
2 vs 0: OR 1.01 (0.47-2.16)
3 vs 0: OR 1.81 (0.74-4.47)
4 vs 0: OR 2.19 (0.87-5.53)
≥5 vs 0: OR 2.73 (0.85-8.77)
Wahab, 2019 ADS Anticholinergics being taken by patients at hospital admission, single time point Age, sex, drinking status, smoking status, number of medications, comorbidities Prevalent delirium ADS use vs non-use: OR 3.6 (1.55-8.37)*
Rawle, 2021 ACB Anticholinergics being taken by patients at hospital admission, single time point Univariate Subsyndromal Delirium prevalence,
Full syndromal delirium prevalence
ACB sum of points:
Subsyndromal Delirium
1 vs 0: OR 0.86 (0.49 - 1.51)
2 vs 0: OR 0.88 (0.42 - 1.82)
≥3 vs 0: OR 1.61 (0.89 - 2.94)
Full Syndromal Delirium
1 vs 0: OR 1.06 (0.59 - 1.93)
2 vs 0: OR 0.72 (0.30 - 1.72)
≥3 vs 0: OR 1.49 (0.76 - 2.94)
Surgical
Duprey, 2022 ACB, ADS Anticholinergics taken by patients 2 weeks before surgery, single time point Age, Sex, CCI, Surgery type, Baseline GCP, APACHE-II, The number of medications with anticholinergic activity Incident delirium ACB number of medications: RR: 1.03 (0.88-1.20)
ADS number of medications: RR: 1.03 (0.87-1.22)
Ferre, 2022 Duran et al.114 and Laroche et al115 Anticholinergics being taken by patients at hospital admission, single time point CIRS-G frailty score, prehospital AB, In-hospital AB Incident delirium Non-significant, not reported
Heinrich, 2021 ARS, ACB, ADS Long term medications taken regularly at time of study enrollment, single time point Age, CCI, duration of anesthesia, number of long-term medications Incident delirium ADS:
Number of medications: OR 0.955 (0.62-1.46)
Sum of points: OR 0.928 (0.74 -1.15)
ARS:
Number of medications: OR 0.784 (0.37-1.63)
Sum of points: OR 0.832 (0.56-1.22)
ACB:
Number of medications: OR 1.13 (0.762-1.68)
Sum of points: OR 1.045 (0.84-1.29)
Herrmann, 2022 ARS, ABS67 Long term medications taken for more than 3 days a week at hospital admission, single time point Age, sex, CCI, number of medications, Surgery type, ICU stay, preoperative serum creatinine, type of anesthesia, usage of heart-lung-machine Incident delirium ARS Sum of points: OR 1.54 (1.15-2.02)*
ABS Number of medications: OR 2.74 (1.55-4.49)*
Mueller, 2020 ADS Long term anticholinergics taken every day before hospital admission, single time point Age, Sex, CCI, duration of anesthesia, ASA, severity of surgery, Number of prescribed long-term drugs Incident delirium ADS:
sum of points: OR 1.50 (1.09-2.05)*
use vs non-use: OR 2.21 (1.21-4.04)*
Tillemans, 2021 ADS, Dutch expert panel scale (0-2) Anticholinergics being taken by patients at hospital admission, single time point Univariate Delirium duration and severity Non-significant, Not reported
Nursing home or long term care
Landi, 2014 ARS Anticholinergics received by patients during 7 days preceding baseline assessment, single time point Age, Sex, cognitive level (CPS), depression, schizophrenia, comorbidities, CIRS Incident delirium during 1-year follow up ARS sum of points: OR 1.16 (1.02-1.32)*
Oudewortel, 2021 ARS, ACB Anticholinergics received by patients for 3 days preceding baseline assessment – single time point Age, CCI, cognitive level (CPS) Prevalent delirium Patients with dementia:
ARS sum of points 1.17 (1.04 - 1.31)*
ARS none, moderate, strong 1.26 (0.99 - 1.49)
ACB sum of points 1.14 (1.06 - 1.23)*
ACB none, moderate, strong 1.26 (1.11 - 1.44)*
Patients without dementia:
ARS sum of points 1.07 (0.94 - 1.21)
ARS none, moderate, strong 1.1 (0.86 - 1.43)
ACB sum of points 1.07 (0.97 - 1.18)
ACB none, moderate, strong 1.14 (0.94 - 1.38)
Pasina, 2021 ACB Anticholinergics being taken by patients at hospital admission – single time point Age, sex, dementia, cancer, karnofsky performance score, days of palliative assistance, care setting (hospice or home). Prevalent delirium ACB sum of points:
1 vs 0: OR 0.62 (0.16-2.43)
2 vs 0: OR 0.44 (0.11-1.72)
3 vs 0: OR 1.85 (0.52-6.61)
4 vs 0: OR 1.53 (0.39-6.00)
≥5 vs 0: OR 2.25 (0.69-7.28)
Population based
Huang, 2012 ARS Patients taking at least 1 anticholinergic during a 1-year observation period Age, sex, CCI, number of medications, presence of chronic disease Incident delirium during 6 month follow up ARS use vs non-use: OR 1.51 (1.18-1.93)*
Ah, 2019 Modified ACB Average daily ACB, 3 months Age, sex, depression, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, stroke, hypertension, sedative drugs, parkinson's disease, use of prescription drugs with gingko extract during the first 90 days Incident delirium during 1 year follow up Average daily ACB score >3: HR 1.52 (1.17-1.96)*
Hwang, 2019 Modified ARS Average daily ARS, 3 months Age, sex, insurance type, comorbid conditions, sedative drugs, polypharmacy, excessive polypharmacy, exposure to sedative drugs, warfarin, insulin, digoxin Incident delirium during 3 month follow up Average daily ARS ≥2 vs ≤2: HR 2.05 (1.13 - 3.73)*
Hwang, 2021 ARS, ACB, ADS, KABS Average daily anticholinergic burden, 30 days Age, Sex, CCI, insurance type, comorbid conditions, sedative drugs, concomitant chronic medications prescribed for more than 18 days during a month, use of digoxin, use of Insulin, use of Warfarin Incident delirium during 6 month follow up Average daily KABS
1 vs 0: 1.36 (1.12-1.66)*
2 vs 0: 1.91 (1.46-2.50)*
≥3 vs 0: 2.96 (2.28-3.83)*
Average daily ARS
1 vs 0: 1.14 (0.92-1.41)
2 vs 0: 1.92 (1.32-2.77)*
≥3 vs 0: 2.32 (1.33-4.03)*
Average Daily ACB
1 vs 0: 1.05 (0.86-1.26)
2 vs 0: 1.57 (1.21-2.04) *
≥3 vs 0: 2.22 (1.69-2.90)*
Average daily ADS
1 vs 0 1.39 (1.15-1.68)*
2 vs 0:1.56 (1.19-2.05)*
≥3 vs 0: 2.55 (1.91-3.40)*