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Assessing Risks of Polypharmacy Involving Medications With Anticholinergic Properties
Hanlon P, Quinn TJ, Gallacher KI, Myint PK, Jani BD, Nicholl BI, Lowrie R, Soiza RL et al.. Annals of family medicine, 2020-03-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Purpose Anticholinergic burden (ACB), the cumulative effect of anticholinergic medications, is associated with adverse outcomes in older people but is less studied in middle-aged populations. The aims of this study were to quantify ACB in a large cohort using the 10 most common anticholinergic scales, to assess the association of each scale with adverse outcomes, and to assess overlap in populations identified by each scale. Methods We performed a longitudinal analysis of the UK Biobank community cohort (502,538 participants, baseline age: 37-73 years, median years of follow-up: 6.2).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Hanlon, P., Quinn, T. J., Gallacher, K. I., Myint, P. K., Jani, B. D., Nicholl, B. I., et al. (2020). Assessing Risks of Polypharmacy Involving Medications With Anticholinergic Properties. Annals of family medicine. https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2501
Vancouver
Hanlon P, Quinn TJ, Gallacher KI, Myint PK, Jani BD, Nicholl BI, et al. Assessing Risks of Polypharmacy Involving Medications With Anticholinergic Properties. Annals of family medicine. 2020. doi:10.1370/afm.2501. PMID: 32152019.
BibTeX
@article{hanlon2020-32152019,
author = {Hanlon, P. and Quinn, T. J. and Gallacher, K. I. and Myint, P. K. and Jani, B. D. and Nicholl, B. I. and Lowrie, R. and Soiza, R. L. and others},
title = {{Assessing Risks of Polypharmacy Involving Medications With Anticholinergic Properties}},
journal = {Annals of family medicine},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1370/afm.2501},
pmid = {32152019},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2501}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- The aims of this study were to quantify ACB in a large cohort using the 10 most common anticholinergic scales, to assess the association of each scale with adverse outcomes, and to assess overlap in populations identified by each scale.
- Methods We performed a longitudinal analysis of the UK Biobank community cohort (502,538 participants, baseline age: 37-73 years, median years of follow-up: 6.2).
- The ACB was calculated at baseline using 10 scales.
- Baseline data were linked to national mortality register records and hospital episode statistics.
Why it matters
This longitudinal UK Biobank analysis of 502,538 participants examined how anticholinergic burden, measured with 10 common scales, relates to adverse outcomes. It is observational, so it cannot prove that reducing anticholinergic medications would prevent dementia.
Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants502,538
- Effect size17.6%; HR = 1.12; HR = 1.45
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 63/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Annals of family medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | The Annals of Family Medicine: journal h-index 161 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 4 / 4 | 502,538 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 65 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.1 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 28 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Frances S Mair: h-index 83 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Glasgow: institution h-index 1,600 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32152019) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 63 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1370/afm.2501
- PubMed: 32152019
- Original source →
- Free full text: The Annals of Family Medicine →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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