ArticleAlzheimer's research & therapy2023
Prevalence of treated patients with Alzheimer's disease: current trends and COVID-19 impact.
Article in Alzheimer's research & therapy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Persistence with anti-dementia medications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Age and ageing · 2025Pooled it
- National and subnational burden of neurological disorders in Iran, 1990 to 2021: results from the global burden of disease study 2021.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026Article
- Pro-Inflammatory Protein PSCA Is Upregulated in Neurological Diseases and Targets β2-Subunit-Containing nAChRs.Biomolecules · 2025Article
- Alterations and mechanistic insights of gut microbiota and its metabolites in type 2 diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's disease.iMetaOmics · 2025Review
- The diagnostic pathway of Alzheimer's disease in real-world clinical practice in Spain: results from the Adelphi Dementia Disease Specific Programme™.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Article
- Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 pandemic on the morbidity and mortality of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients in Valencia, Spain.European journal of neurology · 2024Article
- Future Therapeutic Strategies for Alzheimer's Disease: Focus on Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Iron Trace Elements Concentration in PMBiomedicines · 2024Article
- Trends of use and characterisation of anti-dementia drugs users: a large multinational-network population-based study.Age and ageing · 2024Article
- FORTCARE-MCI study protocol: evaluation of Fortasyn Connect in the management of mild cognitive impairment in primary care.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Article
- The Role of Cellular Defense Systems of Ferroptosis in Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
- Effect of long-term treatment with memantine on mortality in patients with major cognitive disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.)Article
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8 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere are few updated studies on the prevalence and management of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which could be underdiagnosed or undertreated. The COVID-19 pandemic may have worsened the deficiencies in the diagnosis and treatment of these patients. Electronic medical records (EMR) offer an opportunity to assess the impact and management of medical processes and contingencies in the population.
objectiveTo estimate AD prevalence in Spain over a 6-year period, based on treated patients, according to usual clinical practice. Additionally, to describe the management of AD-treated patients and the evolution of that treatment during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
methodsRetrospective study using the Spanish IQVIA EMR database. Patients treated with donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, and/or memantine were included in the study. Annual AD prevalence (2015-2020) was estimated and extrapolated to the national population level. Most frequent treatments and involved specialties were described. To assess the effect of COVID-19, the incidence of new AD cases in 2020 was calculated and compared with newly diagnosed cases in 2019.
resultsCrude AD prevalence (2015-2020) was estimated at 760.5 per 100,000 inhabitants, and age-standardized prevalence (2020) was 664.6 (male 595.7, female 711.0). Monotherapy was the most frequent way to treat AD (86.2%), in comparison with dual therapy (13.8%); rivastigmine was the most prescribed treatment (37.3%), followed by memantine (36.4%) and donepezil (33.0%). Rivastigmine was also the most utilized medication in newly treated patients (46.7%), followed by donepezil (29.8%), although donepezil persistence was longer (22.5 vs. 20.6 months). Overall, donepezil 10 mg, rivastigmine 9.5 mg, and memantine 20 mg were the most prescribed presentations. The incidence rate of AD decreased from 148.1/100,000 (95% confidence interval [CI] 147.0-149.2) in 2019 to 118.4/100,000 (95% CI 117.5-119.4) in 2020.
conclusionsThe obtained prevalence of AD-treated patients was consistent with previous face-to-face studies. In contrast with previous studies, rivastigmine, rather than donepezil, was the most frequent treatment. A decrease in the incidence of AD-treated patients was observed during 2020 in comparison with 2019, presumably due to the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both diagnosis and treatment. EMR databases emerge as valuable tools to monitor in real time the incidence and management of medical conditions in the population, as well as to assess the health impact of global contingencies and interventions.
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