Drug Burden Index is Associated With Malnutrition in Community-dwelling Dementia Patients

Primary outcomes

1. Number of participants with malnutrition, malnutrition risk and healthy

   Time frame: Baseline

   Based on the MNA-SF score, each participant was assigned to one of the following three groups: malnutrition (score between 0 and 7), malnutrition risk (score between 8 and 11), and healthy (score from 12 to 14).

2. Number of participants with high DBI (Drug Burden Index) score

   Time frame: Baseline

   Medications taken consistently at least four weeks prior to admission were considered to be in current use. DBI of drugs containing sedative and cholinergic load was calculated The following formula was used to calculate the DBI = D/ (δ +D), where D represents the daily dose consumed by participants and δ is the minimum recommended is the minimum daily dose that has been established in accordance with the adult dose authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Turkish authorities in the product information of the drug. Each participant's total DBI score was determined by adding the DBI values for each substance with anticholinergic or sedative effects. Patients were classified as none (DBI=0), low exposure (0<DBI<1), or high exposure (DBI ≥1).

3. Number of participants with high ACB (Anti Cholinergic Burden) score

   Time frame: Baseline

   Medications taken consistently at least four weeks prior to admission were considered to be in current use.The anticholinergic drug exposure in each patient was assessed by a clinician using the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Scale, which grades the anticholinergic activity of each drug into three categories: absence (ACB = 0), possible (ACB = 1), and definite (either ACB = 2 or ACB = 3). The scores for each drug were added up to determine the patient's overall ACB score. All patients were then categorized into three groups: none (ACB score of 0), low to moderate exposure (ACB score of 1 or 2), or high exposure (ACB score of 3 or above)