Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study subjects

Age group, n (%)

<.0001

<.0001

  65–70 years

6,128

(4.7)

999

(7.3)

2,154

(5.5)

928

(7.1)

  70–74 years

12,269

(9.4)

1,884

(13.7)

4,190

(10.7)

1,746

(13.4)

  75–79 years

25,838

(19.8)

3,531

(25.7)

8,519

(21.8)

3,315

(25.5)

  80–84 years

35,290

(27.1)

3,762

(27.3)

11,106

(28.4)

3,564

(27.4)

  85–89 years

31,634

(24.3)

2,529

(18.4)

8,641

(22.1)

2,432

(18.7)

  90–94 years

19,253

(14.8)

1,062

(7.7)

4,474

(11.5)

1,043

(8.0)

Sex, n (%)

<.0001

<.0001

  Male

37,301

(28.6)

4,500

(32.7)

11,406

(29.2)

4,194

(32.2)

  Female

93,111

(71.4)

9,267

(67.3)

27,678

(70.8)

8,834

(67.8)

Residential area, n (%)

0.447

0.136

  Metropolitan area

46,729

(35.8)

4,978

(36.2)

13,803

(35.3)

4,695

(36.0)

  Non-metropolitan area

83,683

(64.2)

8,789

(63.8)

25,281

(64.7)

8,333

(64.0)

Type of dementia, n (%)

0.008

0.700

  Alzheimer’s dementia

125,141

(96.0)

13,146

(95.5)

37,399

(95.7)

12,456

(95.6)

  Vascular dementia

5,271

(4.0)

621

(4.5)

1,685

(4.3)

572

(4.4)

Donepezil use, n (%)

0.173

0.834

  Yes

119,138

(91.4)

12,624

(91.7)

35,782

(91.6)

11,935

(91.6)

  No

11,274

(8.6)

1,143

(8.3)

3,302

(8.5)

1,093

(8.4)

Rivastigmine use, n (%)

<.0001

0.032

  Yes

1,459

(1.1)

234

(1.7)

549

(1.4)

217

(1.7)

  No

128,953

(98.9)

13,533

(98.3)

38,535

(98.6)

12,811

(98.3)

Galantamine use, n (%)

0.016

0.265

  Yes

2,421

(1.9)

296

(2.2)

798

(2.0)

287

(2.2)

  No

127,991

(98.1)

13,471

(97.9)

38,286

(98.0)

12,741

(97.8)

Memantine use, n (%)

<.0001

0.027

  Yes

7,394

(5.7)

613

(4.5)

1,955

(5.0)

589

(4.5)

  No

123,018

(94.3)

13,154

(95.6)

37,194

(95.0)

12,452

(95.5)

Comorbidities, n (%)

  Cerebrovascular disease

43,003

(33.0)

6,761

(49.1)

<.0001

18,320

(46.9)

6,103

(46.9)

0.956

  Diabetes with chronic complication

22,078

(16.9)

3,264

(23.7)

<.0001

8,886

(22.7)

2,960

(22.7)

0.971

  Sleep disorders

5,349

(4.1)

1,252

(9.1)

<.0001

2,865

(7.3)

998

(7.7)

0.213

  Hemi-/paraplegia

4,731

(3.6)

1,087

(7.9)

<.0001

2,272

(5.8)

766

(5.9)

0.779

  Substance issues

3,405

(2.6)

560

(4.1)

<.0001

1,356

(3.5)

479

(3.7)

0.266

  Parkinsonism

2,175

(1.7)

584

(4.2)

<.0001

1,105

(2.8)

429

(3.3)

0.007

  Renal failure

1,836

(1.4)

399

(2.9)

<.0001

991

(2.5)

311

(2.4)

0.347

  Moderate/severe liver disease

1,575

(1.2)

223

(1.6)

<.0001

585

(1.5)

211

(1.6)

0.322

  Chronic pulmonary disease

612

(0.5)

86

(0.6)

0.013

221

(0.6)

78

(0.6)

0.663

Comedications, n (%)

  Analgesics

117,460

(90.1)

13,256

(96.3)

<.0001

37,666

(96.4)

12,520

(96.1)

0.155

  Antibacterials

121,409

(93.1)

13,516

(98.2)

<.0001

38,394

(98.2)

12,778

(98.1)

0.254

  Anticholinergics

62,559

(48.0)

8,458

(61.4)

<.0001

23,560

(60.3)

7,867

(60.4)

0.832

  Antidepressants

55,035

(42.2)

8,991

(65.3)

<.0001

24,913

(63.7)

8,275

(63.5)

0.644

  Antifungals

29,600

(22.7)

4,111

(29.9)

<.0001

11,182

(28.6)

3,739

(28.7)

0.845

  Antihistamines

115,300

(88.4)

13,075

(95.0)

<.0001

37,102

(94.9)

12,346

(94.8)

0.462

  Anti-Parkinsonian drugs

7,608

(5.8)

1,919

(13.9)

<.0001

4,255

(10.9)

1,477

(11.3)

0.155

  Antipsychotics

35,117

(26.9)

5,748

(41.8)

<.0001

15,319

(39.2)

5,108

(39.2)

0.979

  Antituberculosis drugs

2,399

(1.8)

300

(2.2)

0.005

857

(2.2)

279

(2.1)

0.729

  Benzodiazepines

93,000

(71.3)

12,432

(90.3)

<.0001

35,106

(89.8)

11,694

(89.8)

0.841

  Glucocorticoids

71,133

(54.5)

9,343

(67.9)

<.0001

26,251

(67.2)

8,718

(66.9)

0.602

  Psychostimulants

505

(0.4)

141

(1.0)

<.0001

221

(0.6)

88

(0.7)

0.157