| Abstract [eng] |
Master’s thesis by Marija Monkevičiūtė, supervised by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Indrė Trečiokienė; Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Center of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. Vilnius – 2026. Title: Prevalence of Anticholinergic Medication Use Among Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of anticholinergic medication use among patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Objectives: 1. To evaluate changes in cumulative anticholinergic burden before and after diagnosis. 2. To determine differences in anticholinergic burden between men and women across different age groups among NSCLC patients. 3. To determine the association between NSCLC stage and anticholinergic medication use. 4. To determine the association between anticholinergic medication use and mortality among NSCLC patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the use of anticholinergic medications among patients newly diagnosed with NSCLC in 2021. De-identified data obtained from the State Data Agency were used for the study. Data analysis was performed in the VDA Data Lake (Palantir) using the “R Commander” plugin. Results: The study included 1,504 NSCLC patients and 3,203 patients with hypertension. Statistically significant differences in cumulative anticholinergic burden were observed between the groups across all evaluated periods, with higher ACB scores more frequently identified among cancer patients. One year before diagnosis, patients with an ACB score ≥3 more often demonstrated higher anticholinergic burden, particularly in the group older than 70 years. Higher ACB scores were more common among women; however, in most periods no statistically significant sex-related differences were identified. Analysis of the association between NSCLC stage and anticholinergic burden showed that patients with advanced-stage disease more frequently had higher anticholinergic burden, whereas among early-stage patients, those not using medications or using medications without anticholinergic effects (ACB = 0) predominated. After two years, this trend weakened, possibly due to higher mortality and loss to follow-up among patients with advanced-stage disease. Higher disease stage and greater anticholinergic burden were associated with shorter survival. Patients with an ACB score ≥3 more frequently died within the first year after diagnosis. Conclusions: 1. NSCLC diagnosis was associated with increased anticholinergic medication use and more frequent occurrence of higher ACB scores. 2. Higher ACB scores were more frequently observed in women; however, in most periods no significant differences between sex and age groups were identified. 3. Higher anticholinergic burden was more frequently observed among patients with advanced-stage disease. 4. Greater anticholinergic burden was associated with shorter survival and higher mortality among NSCLC patients. |
