Association between long-term usage of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and lung cancer in the elderly: a nationwide cohort study

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the association between acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEI) usage and the risk of lung cancer. Data from 116,106 new users of AChEI and 348,318, at a ratio of 1:3, matched by age, sex, and index-year, between 2000 and 2015 controls were obtained from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database in this cohort study. The Cox regression model was used to compare the risk of lung cancer. The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of lung cancer for AChEI users was 1.198 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.765–1.774, p = 0.167). However, the adjusted HR for patients aged ≥ 65 was adjusted to HR: 1.498 (95% CI = 1.124–1.798, p < 0.001), in contrast to the comparison groups. In addition, patients with comorbidities such as pneumonia, bronchiectasis, pneumoconiosis, pulmonary alveolar pneumonopathy, hypertension, stroke, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, depression, anxiety, smoking-related diseases, dementia, and seeking medical help from medical centers and regional hospitals, were associated with a higher risk in lung cancer. Furthermore, longer-term usage of rivastigmine (366–730 days, ≥ 731 days) and galantamine (≥ 731 days) was associated with the risk of lung cancer. AChEI increased the risk of lung cancer in the older aged patients, several comorbidities, and a longer-term usage of rivastigmine and galantamine. Therefore, physicians should estimate the risks and benefits of AChEI usage and avoid prescribing antidepressants concurrently.