Cognitive Effects of Anticholinergic Medications in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

(95% CIs: 0.06-1.08),p1⁄40.03) and DS total score (d 1⁄4 1.01 (95% CIs: 0.09-1.93), p1⁄40.03) in those on MPH. Other attention measures, MMSE and DS backward, also showed larger improvements in the MPH group over placebo; however, these improvements were not statistically significant (d for DS backward 1⁄4 0.17 (95% CIs: -0.66, 1.02) and d for MMSE 1⁄40.45 (95% CIs: -0.29, 1.21). Further, there was no correlation (Pearson correlation coefficients were not significantly different from zero) for AES versus the attention measures in total and by treatment group. Effect of baseline attention measure on treatment response measured by linear regression model (difference in the slopes) and logistic regression (log odds of improvement in MPH and placebo group) suggested that that baseline attention scores did not predict apathy response to MPH treatment. Conclusions: These results suggest that while MPH can improve both apathy and attention, the effects are independent in this patient population. This study provides some insight into the different effects MPH can produce in a heterogeneous disease such as AD.