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. 2020 Jun 8;75(9):1706–1714. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glaa145

Table 3.

Association Between Use of Anticholinergic Medications (Categorized According to Clinical Significance) and Cognitive Function (Mean and SD)

MMSE Imm. Recall Del. Recall§ Digit Back||
No use
Baseline 29.2 (1.3) 6.9 (2.2) 6.1 (2.4) 5.2 (2.2)
Follow-up 29.0 (1.3) 6.6 (2.2) 5.8 (2.4) 5.0 (2.2)
Change −0.2 (0.02)*** −0.3 (0.03)*** −0.3 (0.04)*** −0.2 (0.03)***
TSDD 1–90
Baseline 29.3 (1.2) 7.3 (2.3) 6.4 (2.3) 4.9 (2.1)
Follow-up 29.0 (1.4) 6.9 (2.4) 6.2 (2.4) 4.7 (2.2)
Change −0.3 (0.1)*** −0.4 (0.1)** −0.2 (0.1) −0.2 (0.1)*
TSDD 91–365
Baseline 28.9 (1.3) 6.7 (2.5) 5.5 (2.7) 4.8 (2.1)
Follow-up 28.7 (1.8) 6.0 (2.1) 5.3 (2.3) 4.6 (2.1)
Change −0.2 (0.2) −0.7 (0.3) −0.2 (0.3) −0.2 (0.2)
TSDD 366–1,095
Baseline 29.2 (0.9) 7.1 (2.1) 6.1 (2.1) 5.1 (2.4)
Follow-up 29.2 (1.0) 6.3 (2.1) 5.6 (2.1) 4.7 (2.2)
Change 0 (0.1) −0.8 (0.2)*** −0.5 (0.2) −0.4 (0.2)
TSDD >1,095
Baseline 29.0 (1.3) 6.5 (2.4) 5.8 (2.6) 4.6 (2.1)
Follow-up 28.8 (1.5) 6.2 (2.4) 5.4 (2.4) 4.6 (2.1)
Change −0.2 (0.1)* −0.3 (0.1)* −0.4 (0.1)*** 0 (0.1)
Spot SDMT# PPEG (DH)†† PPEG (NDH)‡‡ PPEG (BH)§§
No use
Baseline 52.9 (5.4) 49.5 (9.4) 13.5 (2.1) 12.7 (2.0) 10.4 (1.8)
Follow-up 52.9 (5.3) 47.2 (9.7) 12.2 (2.1) 11.6 (2.0) 9.4 (1.9)
Change 0 (0.1)*** −2.3 (0.1)*** −1.3 (0.03)*** −1.1 (0.03)*** −1.0 (0.03)***
TSDD 1–90
Baseline 52.0 (5.0) 49.5 (9.5) 13.5 (2.1) 12.6 (1.9) 10.4 (1.8)
Follow-up 51.8 (5.3) 47.6 (9.1) 12.2 (2.2) 11.5 (2.0) 9.3 (1.9)
Change −0.2 (0.3) −2.1 (0.5)*** −1.3 (0.1)*** −1.1 (0.1)*** −1.1 (0.1)***
TSDD 91–365
Baseline 51.4 (5.4) 49.5 (9.4) 13.9 (1.9) 12.9 (1.9) 10.7 (1.9)
Follow-up 51.3 (5.5) 46.0 (9.8) 12.2 (2.0) 12.3 (1.5) 9.5 (1.7)
Change −0.1 (0.6) −3.5 (1.1)** −1.7 (0.2)*** −0.6 (0.2)** −1.2 (0.2)***
TSDD 366–1,095
Baseline 53.0 (5.3) 49.7 (6.8) 13.7 (2.2) 12.7 (1.9) 10.4 (1.9)
Follow-up 52.7 (6.1) 48.2 (6.6) 12.5 (1.9) 11.6 (2.0) 9.2 (1.9)
Change −0.3 (0.6) −1.5 (0.7)* −1.2 (0.2)*** −1.1 (0.2)*** −1.2 (0.2)***
TSDD >1,095
Baseline 51.3 (5.8) 46.6 (9.8) 12.9 (2.3) 12.0 (2.1) 10.1 (2.0)
Follow-up 51.2 (5.9) 44.3 (10.1) 11.5 (2.4) 11.0 (2.3) 8.8 (2.1)
Change −0.1 (0.4) −2.3 (0.4)*** −1.4 (0.1)*** −1.0 (0.1)*** −1.3 (0.1)***
SRT|||| CRT¶¶ Trail A## Trail B†††
No use
Baseline 276.0 (72.1) 328.4 (51.6) 35.0 (12.5) 81.4 (33.7)
Follow-up 283.7 (68.7) 345.5 (57.5) 37.5 (14.4) 88.4 (37.8)
Change 7.7 (1.0)*** 17.1 (0.8)*** 2.5 (0.2)*** 7.0 (0.5)***
TSDD 1–90
Baseline 290.0 (93.7) 338.6 (65.5) 34.5 (9.4) 78.9 (31.5)
Follow-up 286.1 (61.2) 346.9 (49.6) 36.8 (10.6) 86.0 (31.3)
Change −3.9 (4.2) 8.3 (3.1)** 2.3 (0.5)*** 7.1 (1.7)***
TSDD 91–365
Baseline 270.2 (56.7) 329.1 (45.8) 32.5 (8.9) 77.7 (24.5)
Follow-up 282.5 (55.1) 345.6 (43.7) 34.9 (9.4) 92.2 (36.1)
Change 12.3 (6.2) 16.5 (4.9)** 2.4 (1.0)* 14.5 (3.4)***
TSDD 366–1,095
Baseline 272.1 (48.9) 331.0 (45.9) 33.4 (8.3) 81.2 (42.3)
Follow-up 282.2 (44.1) 340.9 (41.2) 38.2 (12.4) 86.9 (30.4)
Change 10.1 (4.8)* 9.9 (4.5)* 4.8 (1.1)*** 5.7 (3.8)
TSDD >1,095
Baseline 306.7 (109.6) 342.7 (65.3) 37.6 (14.8) 88.0 (36.0)
Follow-up 311.5 (94.9) 363.8 (74.9) 40.1 (19.0) 100.8 (42.3)
Change 4.8 (4.6) 21.1 (3.1)*** 2.5 (0.8)** 12.8 (1.8)***

Notes: Measures for Trail A, Trail B, SRT, and CRT represent response time. Thus, positive values for change indicate a cognitive decline. All other measures (MMSE, Immediate Recall, Delayed Recall, Digit Back, Spot, SDMT, and PPEG) represent the number of items completed correctly (negative values for change indicate cognitive decline).

Mini-Mental State Examination. Immediate Recall. §Delayed Recall. ||Digit Span Backwards Test. Spot-the-Word Test. #Symbol Digit Modalities Test. ††Purdue Pegboard Test (Dominant Hand). ‡‡Purdue Pegboard Test (Nondominant hand). §§Purdue Pegboard Test (Both hands). ||||Simple Reaction Time. ¶¶Choice Reaction Time. ##Trail Making Test Part A.  †††Trail Making Test Part B.

*Significance at p < .05 **Indicates significance at p < .01 ***indicates significance at p < .001.