Association of chronic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use and cognitive decline in non-demented elderly patients admitted to a Geriatric Evaluation and Rehabilitation Unit

In a geriatric evaluation and rehabilitation unit (GERU), 258 elderly patients (M: 71, F: 187; mean age 77.4 +/- 7.5) scoring 22 or more at Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) consecutively admitted were assessed in order to evaluate the effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) chronic treatment on cognitive status in non-demented elderly patients. Sixty-six patients (25.6%) were considered chronic NSAID users. Patients chronically assuming NSAIDs showed a significantly higher MMSE score than non-users (26.9 +/- 2.1 vs. 25.7 +/- 2.5, P < 0.0005). After controlling for potential confounders in a multivariate model, chronic NSAID use remained independently associated with MMSE score. The results support a positive association between chronic Nh;AID use and cognitive function in non-demented elderly patients. Randomized controlled trials will be needed to definitively prove this beneficial effect.