Weight Loss Associated with Cholinesterase Inhibitors in Individuals with XXXX in a National Healthcare System.

@entity303 @entity1 @entity353
OBJECTIVES: To determine whether initiation of cholinesterase inhibitors is associated with significant @entity353 in a real-word clinical setting. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study from 2007 to 2010 comparing @entity353 in individuals with @entity303 newly prescribed cholinesterase inhibitors and those newly prescribed other chronic medications. SETTING: National Veterans Affairs data. @entity1 : Individuals aged 65 and older with a diagnosis of @entity303 who received a new prescription for a cholinesterase inhibitor or other new chronic medication. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was time to 10-pound @entity353 over 12 months. Propensity score matching was used to control for the likelihood of receiving a cholinesterase inhibitor based on baseline characteristics. Data were analyzed in a priori defined subgroups according to age, comorbid burden, and initial weight. RESULTS: Of 6,504 individuals that met study criteria, 1,188 started on cholinesterase inhibitors were matched to 2,189 started on other medications. The propensity-matched cohorts were well balanced on baseline covariates. @entity1 initiated on cholinesterase inhibitors had a higher risk of @entity353 than matched controls at 12 months (hazard ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-1.41). At 12 months, 29.3% of @entity1 taking cholinesterase inhibitors had experienced @entity353 , compared with 22.8% of nonusers, corresponding to a number needed to harm of 21.2 (95% CI = 12.5-71.4) over 1 year. There were no significant differences in the risk of @entity353 within subgroups. CONCLUSION: These results are consistent with the available data from randomized controlled trials. Clinicians should consider the risk of @entity353 when prescribing cholinesterase inhibitors.
