Anticholinergic medication use and falls in postmenopausal women: findings from the women’s health initiative cohort study

Table 4 Adjusted Odds Ratios Relating Anticholinergic Use to Incident Recurrent Falls over the next 12 months^a

		Model 1		Model 2		Model 3
	Number With falls	OR (95 % CI)	Number With falls	OR (95 % CI)	Number With falls	OR (95 % CI)
Any Anticholinergic use
No use	7883	1.0	7883	1.0	7743	1.0
Any use	1938	1.86 (1.76, 1.97)	1938	1.53 (1.45, 1.62)	1903	1.51 (1.43, 1.60)
Number of Agents^*
No use	7883	1.0	7883	1.0	7743	1.0
1	1688	1.78 (1.67, 1.88)	1688	1.48 (1.40, 1.57)	1657	1.47 (1.38, 1.56)
2+	250	2.84 (2.45, 3.28)	250	2.04 (1.76, 2.36)	246	2.00 (1.73, 2.32)
Duration^*
No use	7883	1.0	7883	1.0	7743	1.0
<1 year	495	1.82 (1.64, 2.01)	495	1.52 (1.37, 1.68)	485	1.50 (1.36, 1.66)
1–3 years	760	1.73 (1.59, 1.88)	760	1.42 (1.31, 1.55)	745	1.41 (1.29, 1.53)
>3 years	683	2.10 (1.92, 2.29)	683	1.70 (1.55, 1.86)	673	1.68 (1.53, 1.84)
Specific Anticholinergic Class^b
Antihistamine/Antiemetic/Antivertigo	742	1.39 (1.28, 1.51)	742	1.22 (1.12, 1.32)	734	1.21 (1.11, 1.32)
Antidepressant/Antipsychotic	811	2.26 (2.07, 2.46)	811	1.83 (1.67, 1.99)	796	1.81 (1.66, 1.97)
Gastrointestinal/Urinary Antimuscarinics/Miscellaneous	607	1.81 (1.64, 1.99)	607	1.49 (1.35, 1.64)	591	1.47 (1.33, 1.62)

Abbreviations: CI confidence intervals, OR odds ratio
^*Trend test p-values all <0.0001
^aOR and CI are estimated from GEE models using an unstructured correlation matrix, including baseline and year 3 medication exposure information, and recurrent falls in the following year. All models are adjusted by age using 5-year age intervals, and study component (clinical trial vs. observational study). Model 1 adjusted for linear age, diet modification and CaD trial randomization arms. Model 2 was further adjusted for race/ethnicity, body mass index, poor vision, arthritis, treated diabetes, low back pain, Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis and/or use of medication, indications for use (Parkinson’s disease, urinary incontinence, depression, insomnia scale), self-reported health, alcohol intake, use of antiepileptics, and number of psychoactive medications. Model 3 was further adjusted for physical function, dizziness, current physical activity from walking. All adjustment variables are from baseline
^bOdds ratios for type of anticholinergic medication are adjusted for simultaneous use of a different type

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