Prevalence of Anticholinergics in Geriatric Patients With Acute Functional Deterioration

NCT07165574 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 1-45-72-442-25
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study investigates the anticholinergic burden on patients seen in the Subacute mobile outpatient geriatric clinic in Aalborg, Denmark, between the years of 2024 and 2025. The age demographic in Denmark and multiple other countries is changing rapidly, with more old and very old individuals as a result. As humans become older, they tend to accumulate more illnesses, and the risk of polypharmacy increases. There is a wide selection of medicine that affect the binding of acetylcholine to the muscarinic receptors, which is either the intended function of the pharmacological product or a side effect. Since there is no built-in feature in computer systems used by doctors to calculate the cumulative anticholinergic burden, it is often not recognized, thus not reflected upon. This raises concerns about potential central and peripheral side effects, such as altered mental status, visual disturbances, tachycardia, urinary and fecal retention, dry skin etc. The study aims to determine the prevalence of anticholinergics in the last 100 patients seen by the Subacute mobile outpatient geriatric clinic in Aalborg University Hospital. The patients are placed in municipal extended-care facilities. Furthermore, the study will investigate the prevalence of anticholinergic side effects concerning the burden on this population. The study is a retrospective chart review of patient charts from the years of 2024 and 2025, analyzing patient characteristics, comorbidities, medication lists, and calculating the anticholinergic burden through the ACB calculator.

Conditions

Frailty in Older Adults; Functional Decline; Anticholinergic Syndrome

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Prevalence of anticholinergics

  Number of patients taking anticholinercis (yes/no) defined by the Anticholingeric Cognitive Burden scale (any score above 0)

  Day 1. That is on the day of patients first contact with the subacute outpatient geratric function at Aalborg Unviversity Hospital

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Prevalence of central side effects

  On the day of patients first contact with the subacute outpatient geratric function at Aalborg Unviversity Hospital

• Prevalence of peripheral anticholinergic side effects

  On the day of patients first contact with the subacute outpatient geratric function at Aalborg Unviversity Hospital

Interventions

No intervention as the study is observational OTHER

As this is an observation study, participants are not assigned an intervention as part of the study

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patient seen by the subactue outpatient geratric clinic at Aalborg University Hospital are older adults who have experienced an acute deterioration of daily function, usually due to acute illness and are admittet to municipality reablement services with the goal of postacute rehabilitation to previous funciton and avoiding nursing home admission. Patients may have been recently discharged from hospital.

You may qualify if:

• patients seen by the Subacute outpatient geriatric clinic at Aalborg University hospital, Denmark, between 2024 and 2025.
• Consecutive sampling starting with the most recent patient chart and going backwards.

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Aalborg University Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of Geriatric Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital

Aalborg, 9000, Denmark

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anticholinergic Syndrome

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Chemically-Induced Disorders

Central Study Contacts

Johannes Riis, MD

CONTACT

+45 22174664; johannes0408@live.dk

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CONTROL
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: MD

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 28, 2025
• First Posted: September 10, 2025
• Study Start: September 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: January 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027
• Last Updated: September 10, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Locations

DK (1)