Anticholinergic burden among in-patients: a cross-sectional study on prevalence, determinants, and impact on mortality in Ethiopia.

Background: Numerous studies report that anticholinergic burden (ACB) has been linked with several health consequences, including increased hospital admissions, prolonged hospitalization, and physical and cognitive impairment. However, low- and middle-income settings, as well as younger individuals, are underrepresented.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and determinants of ACB, and to assess the impact of ACB on in-hospital mortality among adult in-patients at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (UOGCSH).

Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to August 2022 at UOGCSH among adult in-patients.

Methods: A pre-tested questionnaire was utilized to collect data from patients and their corresponding medical charts. A consecutive sampling technique was used to select the participants. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Chi-squared, Fisher's exact, and Wilcoxon rank sum tests, as appropriate, were used to determine associations between independent variables and ACB. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox proportional hazards regression test were used to assess the impact of ACB on in-hospital mortality.

Results: A total of 420 adult in-patients, median (interquartile range) age of 38 (26, 55) years, participated in this study. Over half (58.3%) were exposed to anticholinergic medicines, with a high ACB (⩾3) seen in 11.2% of participants. High ACB was associated with higher median number of medicines per patient ( = 0.003) higher median hospital length of stay ( = 0.033), and having mental and behavioral disorders ( < 0.001). No significant association was found between ACB and in-hospital mortality (log-rank test  = 0.26, Cox regression adjusted hazard ratio: 1.47, 95% CI: 0.335-6.453,  = 0.61).

Conclusion: Among adult in-patients, a significant majority (58.3%) were subjected to medications possessing anticholinergic properties, with a noteworthy 11.2% of the study subjects exhibiting a high ACB. Participants with higher median length of hospital stay were more likely to have high ACB even in this relatively younger adult patient population.