Antidementia drugs and nursing home placement: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of antidementia drugs (ADDs), including cholinesterase inhibitors (CEIs) and memantine, on nursing home placement (NHP) among individuals with dementia. Findings: ADDs may be associated with a lower risk of NHP, with a 57% reduction in Alzheimer’s disease and a 16% reduction in mixed-type dementia. There were no significant difference in NHP risk between donepezil and rivastigmine, or between donepezil and galantamine, or combining CEIs with memantine and CEIs monotherapy. Message: ADDs are associated with a reduced risk of NHP; however, future trials or well-designed studies are needed to understand the reasons for this association and to determine whether it is causal.