SynthesisNeurourology and urodynamics2021
Increased risk of incident dementia following use of anticholinergic agents: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Neurourology and urodynamics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04807920 (Intravesical OnabotulinumtoxinA Injection at the Time of Prolapse Surgery for the Treatment of Overactive Bladder Syndrome), which is not on this map. Cited by 62 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Intravesical OnabotulinumtoxinA Injection at the Time of Prolapse Surgery for the Treatment of Overactive Bladder Syndrome: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Who cites it
62 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 113 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systemic medications and dementia risk: a systematic umbrella review.Molecular psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Sacral and Implantable Tibial Neuromodulation for the Management of Overactive Bladder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Advances in therapy · 2025Pooled it
- Effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions delivered at home for urinary and faecal incontinence with homebound older people: systematic review of randomised controlled trials.Age and ageing · 2024Pooled it
- Efficacy of Vibegron and Mirabegron for Overactive Bladder: A Systematic Literature Review and Indirect Treatment Comparison.Advances in therapy · 2021Pooled it
- Anticholinergic burden (prognostic factor) for prediction of dementia or cognitive decline in older adults with no known cognitive syndrome.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Increased risk of incident dementia following use of anticholinergic agents: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.Neurourology and urodynamics · 2021Pooled it
- Two-Year Efficacy and Safety Outcomes of the Pivotal OASIS Study Using the Revi System for Treatment of Urgency Urinary Incontinence.The Journal of urology · 2025Trial
- Efficacy and Safety of Vibegron for Persistent Symptoms of Overactive Bladder in Men Being Pharmacologically Treated for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Results From the Phase 3 Randomized Controlled COURAGE Trial.The Journal of urology · 2024Trial
- Anticholinergic Medication Use in Veterans Affairs Long-Term Care Residents: Clinical Patterns and Opportunities for Deprescribing.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2026Article
- Amyloid Precursor Protein Processing Links Female Urgency Urinary Incontinence with Alzheimer's Disease: Implications for Treatment.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Baseline Anticholinergic Medication Burden in Patients with Overactive Bladder.International urogynecology journal · 2026Article
- Safety analysis of long-acting dual bronchodilator after market approval: a real-world study from FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database.Journal of thoracic disease · 2026Article
- Tablet Acceptability in Older Outpatients Undergoing Cancer Chemotherapy.Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Anticholinergic Drug Use in Elderly Patients: Compliance with STOPP-START and BEERS Criteria in Spain-A Descriptive Study.Drug safety · 2026Observational
- Review
- Health outcomes and costs in patients prescribed anticholinergic medications for overactive bladder.Journal of comparative effectiveness research · 2026Article
- Anticholinergic burden and incident dementia: a Swedish nationwide case-control study.Alzheimer's research & therapy · 2025Article
- Incidence of Dementia Among Medicare Beneficiaries With and Without Urinary Incontinence.Urogynecology (Philadelphia, Pa.) · 2025Article
- The Impact of Real-world Use of Overactive Bladder Medications on Dementia Risk in Younger Adults.European urology open science · 2025Article
- Satisfaction and persistence with vibegron in the first 6 months of overactive bladder treatment: interim results of the phase 4, real-world COMPOSUR study.BMC urology · 2025Observational
2 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
background/rationaleLong-term treatment with anticholinergic agents may increase the risk of cognitive impairment or dementia. This systematic literature review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the impact of ≥3 months of exposure to anticholinergics as a class on the risk of dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and change in cognitive function. The impact of anticholinergic agents specifically used to treat overactive bladder was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND
methodsA systematic literature review was conducted to identify English language articles evaluating the impact of anticholinergic use for ≥3 months on dementia or cognitive function in adult patients. Databases searched included PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models; 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and 95% prediction intervals (PIs) were reported.
resultsA total of 2122 records were identified. Out of those, 21 studies underwent qualitative synthesis and 6 reported endpoints relevant for inclusion in a meta-analysis assessing the risk of incident dementia. The overall rate ratio for incident dementia was 1.46 (95% CI: 1.17-1.81; 95% PI: 0.70-3.04; n = 6). The risk of incident dementia increased with increasing exposure (n = 3). In addition, two studies from the meta-analysis reported an increased risk of dementia with ≥3 months of use of bladder antimuscarinics (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.21 to 1.65, depending on exposure category).
conclusionAnticholinergic use for ≥3 months increased the risk of dementia on average by an estimated 46% versus nonuse. This relationship was consistent in studies assessing overactive bladder medications. The risk of developing dementia should be carefully considered in the context of potential benefit before prescribing anticholinergics.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.