Original Research

Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Risk of Dementia in the Veteran Population

There was a statistically significant association between use of proton pump inhibitors and dementia diagnosis in a 11-year retrospective study of patients at the Sioux Falls Veteran Affairs Health Care System.

Fed Pract. 2019 June;36(suppl 4):S27-S31

Author(s):

Jenna Welu, PharmD

Justin Metzger, PharmD

Scott Bebensee, PharmD, BCPS

April Ahrendt, MS, RDN, CNSC, LN

Micheal Vasek, MBA

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References

1. Savarino V, Dulbecco P, de Bortoli N, Ottonello A, Savarino E. The appropriate use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs): need for a reappraisal. Eur J Intern Med. 2017;37:19-24.

2. Heidelbaugh J, Goldberg K, Inadomi J. Magnitude and economic effect of overuse of antisecretory therapy in the ambulatory care setting. Am J Manag Care. 2010;16(9):e228-e234.

3. Heidelbaugh JJ, Kim AH, Chang R. Walker PC. Overutilization of proton-pump inhibitors: what the clinician needs to know. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2012;5(4):219-232.

4. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (DSM-5). American Psychiatric Association: Washington, DC; 2013.

5. World Health Organization. Dementia. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs362/en/. Published December 12, 2017. Accessed March 10, 2019.

6. Vogiatzoglou A, Smith AD, Nurk E, et al. Cognitive function in an elderly population: interaction between vitamin B12 status, depression, and apolipoprotein E ε4: the Hordaland Homocysteine Study. Psychosom Med. 2013;75(1):20-29.

7. Lam JR, Schneider JL, Zhao W, Corley DA. Proton pump inhibitor and histamine 2 receptor antagonist use and vitamin B12 deficiency. JAMA. 2013;310(22):2435-2442.

8. Badiola N, Alcalde V, Pujol A, et al. The proton-pump inhibitor lansoprazole enhances amyloid beta production. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e58837.

9. Haenisch B, von Holt K, Wiese B, et al. Risk of dementia in elderly patients with the use of proton pump inhibitors. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2015;265(5):419-428.

10. Gomm W, von Holt K, Thomé F, et al. Association between proton pump inhibitors with risk of dementia. A pharmacoepidemiological claims data analysis. JAMA Neurol. 2016;73(4):410-416.

11. Tai SY, Chien CY, Wu DC, et al. Risk of dementia from proton pump inhibitor use in Asian population: a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan. PLoS One. 2017;12(2):e0171006.

12. Goldstein FC, Steenland K, Zhao L, Wharton W, Levey AI, Hajjar I. Proton pump inhibitors and risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2017;65(9):1969-1674.

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Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have become the mainstay of therapy in the treatment of acid-related disorders since their introduction in 1989. Due to their high potency, excellent tolerability, and generic availability, PPIs have largely replaced histamine-2 receptor antagonists for gastric problems. Since they were first released on the market, the use of PPIs has continued to rise in both the hospital and primary care settings.¹ However, this rapid growth has led to the concern of overutilization. A study conducted at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Ann Arbor Health Care System found that out of 946 patients in the ambulatory care setting taking PPIs, only 35% were appropriately prescribed PPIs.²

Although the short-term adverse effects of PPI use seem minimal, chronic PPI use consequences are a growing concern. Chronic PPI use is associated with increased risks of osteoporosis, pneumonia, and Clostridium difficile infections.³ Another long-term risk that has been associated with chronic PPI use is dementia. Dementia is a cognitive syndrome that is characterized by a progressive decline beyond what is expected in normal aging in 1 or more of the cognitive domains of memory, language, orientation, learning capacity, executive function, or social cognition.⁴ Because it interferes with activities of daily living, dementia is a major cause of disability in the elderly and is an immense burden for caregivers. Currently, about 47 million people globally live with dementia.⁵ This number is projected to nearly triple by 2050 to 132 million.⁵ With no cure, identification of risk factors and creation of protective measures are critical in decreasing the prevalence of dementia.

Although the exact pathophysiology behind the link between PPIs and dementia is unknown, several theories exist. One such theory is that PPI-induced vitamin B₁₂ deficiency leads to cognitive decline.^6,7 Another theory suggests that PPIs can directly cause dementia by inhibiting enzymes that normally degrade β amyloid.⁸ This leads to increased levels of β-amyloid plaques, which is a known characteristic of dementia patients. This theory is derived from animal studies that have shown increased amyloid levels in the brains of mice given PPIs.⁸

Current studies are conflicting regarding the association between PPIs and dementia. Two German prospective, cohort studies found statistically significant increased risks of dementia in patients taking PPIs with hazard ratios (HR) of 1.38 (95% CI, 1.04-1.83) and 1.44 (95% CI, 1.36-1.52), respectively.^9,10 A study conducted in Taiwan also found an increased risk of dementia among PPI users with a HR of 1.22 (95% CI, 1.05-1.42).¹¹ On the contrary, other studies have failed to show an increased risk of dementia with PPI use. In fact, Goldstein and colleagues found a decreased risk of dementia in PPI users with a HR of 0.78 (95% CI, 0.76-0.93).¹²This study was an observational study conducted in the US using data from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center database.¹² Another recent retrospective study conducted in Finland showed that PPI use was not associated with a significantly increased risk of Alzheimer disease.¹³

Much is unknown about the cause of dementia, and no curative treatment exists. Investigation into potential risk factors for dementia can lead to the development of preventative measures, which can lead to significant improvement in quality of life for both patients and caregivers. Current studies regarding the association between PPIs and dementia are conflicting, and to our knowledge, no study analyzing the effects of PPIs and dementia has been conducted within the veteran population specifically. The objective of the current study is to investigate the association between PPI use and dementia in the veteran population.

Methods

This study is a retrospective, cohort, single-center, chart review study conducted at the Sioux Falls Veteran Affairs Health Care System (SFVAHCS). Data were extracted from the VA electronic health record (EHR) from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2015. The study included both currently living and deceased veterans who received ≥ 2 documented outpatient visits at the SFVAHCS during the study time frame. Patients also had to be aged ≥ 60 years at the start of the study period. Patients were excluded if they received only a ≤ 30-day PPI prescription. Patients with dementia related to head trauma, acute intoxication, or other known diseases were excluded.