Objective: Compare burden of disease among patients with dementia-related psychosis (DRP), dementia without psychosis (dementia only), and dementia-related agitation/aggression (DAA) in long-term care (LTC) facilities.

Background: Patients with dementia often experience neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), including psychosis and agitation/aggression. Real-world data on the comorbidity profile of DRP and DAA patients are limited.

Design/Methods: Dementia patients were identified from a US LTC database based on ?2 dementia diagnosis codes or 1 dementia diagnosis code and antidementia therapy prescription during 1 Jan 2013 to 30 May 2017. Patients were categorized into DRP (?2 psychosis or 1 psychosis diagnosis code and prescription of antipsychotic therapy and no history of agitation/aggression diagnosis), dementia only (no psychosis or agitation/aggression diagnosis and no history of antipsychotic therapy [dementia only]), and DAA (?2 diagnosis codes of agitation/aggression and no history of psychosis diagnosis or antipsychotic therapy) groups (index date). Comorbidities and concomitant therapies were defined during 12 months prior to index date.

Results: There were 26,002 dementia residents: DRP (n=11,921; 46%); dementia only (n=11,432; 44%); DAA (n=2649; 10%). DRP patients were younger (mean age 80.8 years) than dementia only (84.3 years) or DAA (83.8 years). DRP patients were sicker overall versus dementia only: anemia (32% vs 29%); anxiety (55% vs 33%); bladder disorders (19% vs 13%); depression (75% vs 58%); hypertension (43% vs 33%); diabetes (43% vs 38%); insomnia disorders (32% vs 19%); (all P<0.05). More DAA patients had anxiety (43%), depression (66%), hypertension (43%), and insomnia disorders (26%) than dementia only (all P<0.05). Most DRP patients (94.3%) received off-label treatment for DRP; approximately one third (31.6%) of DAA patients received off-label treatment for DRP.

Conclusions: This study, the first of its type to use a US LTC database, demonstrated a significant comorbidity burden associated with DRP or DAA compared with dementia only, which should be considered when using off-label treatments. These data highlight the need for safe and effective treatments for dementia NPS.

Study Sponsored By: ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.