title: Association of chronic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use and cognitive decline in non-demented elderly patients admitted to a geriatric evaluation and rehabilitation unit.
abstract: In a geriatric evaluation and rehabilitation unit (GERU), 258 elderly patients (M: 71, F: 187; mean age 77.4 +/- 7.5) scoring 22 or more at Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) consecutively admitted were assessed in order to evaluate the effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) chronic treatment on cognitive status in non-demented elderly patients. Sixty-six patients (25.6%) were considered chronic NSAID users. Patients chronically assuming NSAADs showed a significantly higher MMSE score than non-users (26.9+/-2.1 vs 25.7+/-2.5, P<0.0005 ). After controlling for potential confounders in a multivariate model, chronic NSAID use remained independently associated with MMSE score. The results support a positive association between chronic NSAID use and cognitive function in non-demented elderly patients. Randomized controlled trials will be needed to definitively prove this beneficial effect.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Evaluation and Rehabilitation Unit, P. Richiedei Hospital, 24, Pinidolo - 25064 Gussago, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bertozzi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barbisoni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franzoni
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Frisoni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rozzinia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trabucchi