title: Less education predicts anticholinesterase discontinuation in dementia patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated patient socio-demographic, clinical and functional factors predicting cholinesterase inhibitor discontinuation by patients presenting to a memory clinic in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data collection began in March 2004 at the Rural and Remote Memory Clinic where family physicians referred their non-institutionalized patients. Neurological and neuropsychological assessment, patient and caregiver questionnaires provided the socio-demographic, clinical and functional variables. Univariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine possible associations between each independent variable and the binary outcome variable of treatment discontinuation. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine predictors of cholinesterase inhibitor discontinuation within six months of drug initiation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our sample consisted of the first 63 patients (60.3% female) for whom we prescribed a cholinesterase inhibitor. The mean age at clinic day was 74.56 years (SD=7.78). We found that years of formal education was the only variable significantly associated with cholinesterase inhibitor discontinuation by six months. The more years of formal education, the lower the rate of drug discontinuation by six months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Likelihood of cholinesterase inhibitor discontinuation by six months was predicted by fewer years of formal education.
authors: College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors: Solin
authors: S
authors: Saleh
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Kirk
authors: Debra G
authors: DG
authors: Morgan
authors: Chandima
authors: C
authors: Karunanayake
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors