Use of anti-dementia drugs in home care and residential care and associations with neuropsychiatric symptoms: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The number of people with dementia is increasing alongside the aging population, and most of these patients manifest with neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). The objective of this study was to investigate anti-dementia drug use and its associations with NPS. METHODS: Questionnaires on demographic information, current drug use, activities of daily living and NPS were sent to all municipal home care producers and to all institutions providing long-term residential care in the South Savo Hospital District, Finland. RESULTS: The study population comprised 2821 persons. Their mean age was 81 years and 68 % were female. Dementia had been diagnosed in 31 % (n = 410) in home care and in 56 % (n = 774) in residential care. Anti-dementia drugs were used by 69 % of patients with dementia. Hyperactivity symptoms were common in residential care patients (n = 456, 33 %), while problems with mood and apathy dominated in home care patients (n = 486, 54 %). In multivariate regression analysis, the mood symptoms and apathy subgroup was associated with use of an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) (OR 1.44; 95 % Cl 1.03–2.02), memantine (OR 1.77, 95 % Cl 1.15–2.72) or their combinations (OR 1.56, 95 % Cl 1.03-2.34). Hyperactivity symptoms were associated with combination therapy of this type (OR 2.03, 95 % Cl 1.36–2.34). CONCLUSIONS: The use of anti-dementia drugs was common in both care settings. The use of any anti-dementia drug or combination was associated with the mood and apathy subgroup. The hyperactivity subgroup was associated with combination use of memantine and AChEI.