Associations between different measures of anticholinergic drug exposure and Barthel Index in older hospitalized patients.

Objective: To compare associations between four measures of anticholinergic exposure (anticholinergic risk scale, ARS; anticholinergic drug burden, DBAC; number and use versus no use of anticholinergic drugs), Barthel Index (BI, physical function) and Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT, cognitive function) on admission in older hospitalized patients.

Methods: Prospective observational study of a consecutive series of 271 older patients (age 83 ± 7 years) from community-dwelling and institutionalized settings, admitted to an acute geriatric admission unit between 28 September 2011 and 18 December 2011. The main outcome measures were BI quartiles (primary outcome) and AMT (secondary outcome) on admission.

Association between prescribing of antimuscarinic drugs and antimuscarinic adverse effects in older people.

Many commonly prescribed medications have antimuscarinic side effects. These can be severe and disabling, but it is not always possible to predict which patients will suffer these effects. The development of practical tools that predict the likelihood of adverse drug reactions would aid rational prescribing, thereby improving patient safety and outcomes.

Genetic determinants of ageing processes and diseases in later life.

Objective: To investigate the role of genetic factors in diseases of later life.

Methods: Review of literature relevant to the role of genetic factors in variation of incidence of age-related diseases of later life using Medline, Web of Science, to search publications in English since 1980 and citations found in relevant publications.

Results: The identity of ageing and longevity genes remains unknown despite lively interest in lipoprotein metabolism, genomic instability, oxidative stress, cellular response to damage, inflammatory processes, insulin/IGF1-signalling and Sirtuins.