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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT03208569

Anticholinergic Burden - Treatment Optimization

There is increasing evidence that medications with anticholinergic effects may adversely impact cognitive function. Older adults are particularly sensitive to these effects due to age-related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. The cumulative impact of taking one or more medications with anticholinergic properties is known as the anticholinergic burden. To quantify this burden, Boustani et al. (2008) developed the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) scale. The objective of this study is to examine whether optimizing pharmacotherapy concerning drugs with anticholinergic effects-identified by both the ACB scale and the newly developed Swe-ABS-can improve cognitive test performance among individuals attending a memory clinic. Anticholinergic drug use and cognitive performance will be assessed at baseline and at a 6-month follow-up.

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Key information

Conditions

Anticholinergics Cognitive Function

Age range

50 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Specialistminnesmottagningen

Ängelholm, 26281, Sweden

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 50 years and older

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Cognitive function

    Time frame: 6 months

    Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Range 0-30; maximum 30 indicating preserved cognitive functioning.

  2. Cognitive function

    Time frame: 6 months

    Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Range 0-30; maximum 30 indicating preserved cognitive functioning.

  3. Cognitive function

    Time frame: 6 months

    Trail Making Test (TMT) - A. Assessing visual attention and processing speed. Age-dependent e.g, 65-74 years of age 33 ± 11 seconds. Trail Making Test (TMT) - B. Assessing executive function especially cognitive flexibiity. Age-dependent e.g, 65-74 years of age 85 ± 25 seconds.

  4. Cognitive function

    Time frame: 6 months

    Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) Neuropsychological test battery covering several cognitive domains. Age-dependent e.g, 70-79 years of age with education < 6 years: 12-16. High education: 8-12

  5. Cognitive function

    Time frame: 6 months

    Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) Assessing attention, executive function and memory. Correctly identified symbols are recorded within a time frame of 90 seconds.

    Age-dependent e.g, 70-74 years of age with short education: 36. High education: 43

  6. Cognitive function

    Time frame: 6 months

    A Quick Test of Cognitive Speed (AQT) Three moments, 1 color, 2 form and 3 color-form. Naming correctly as fast as possible.

  7. Cognitive function

    Time frame: 6 months

    5x3 Memory Test A brief and structured memory test involving 15 concrete items grouped into five items on three subsequent sets.

    Scoring is based on immediate and delayed recall in a special scoring system.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Region Skane

Other

Collaborators

  • Angelholm Hospital

Registry information

Official study title

Treatment Optimization Regarding Anticholinergic Medications Potential Impact on Cognitive Test Performance

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2021
First posted
Jul 5, 2017
Registry last updated
Aug 28, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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