Cognitive Status is Better in Older Adults under Colchicine Treatment: A Case-Control Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose

We aimed to investigate the effects of colchicine, an important anti-inflammatory agent, on cognitive functions in a geriatric population diagnosed with gout or osteoarthritis by comparing it to non-colchicine users.

Methods

138 geriatric patients (67 colchicine users and 71 non-users) were enrolled. Within comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), cognitive status assessment via Mini-Mental State Examination test (MMSE), Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment Screening test (Qmci), clock drowning test (CDT), and digit span tests were performed.

Results

Median age was 68 (65–72), and there were 82 female (59.4%) patients. The scores of CDT, Backward Digit Span Test, MMSE-Total, MMSE-Attention, MMSE-Motor Function, Qmci-Total Score, Qmci-Clock drawing, and Qmci-Logical Memory were significantly higher in the colchicine user group (p < .005), showing better cognitive function. Adjusted model analysis showed that colchicine usage is independently correlated with higher Qmci-Total Score and Qmci-Logical Memory Score (For Qmci total score β = 7.87 95%CI = 5.48–10.27, p = <0.0001, and for Qmci Logical memory score β = 3.52, 95%CI = 2.12–4.91, p = <0.0001).

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study revealing that colchicine usage is associated with better cognitive performance in older adults. Further investigations with a prospective, larger-sampled and randomized design are needed to show the causal relationship between colchicine and cognition.

Author Contribution

A. Okyar Baş, G. K.Yardımcı, L. Kılıç and B.B. Doğu equally contributed to the conception and design of the research; A. Okyar Baş, M. Güner Oytun, S. Ceylan, Z. Kahyaoğlu, Y.Öztürk and S. Çöteli equally contributed to the acquisition and analysis of the data; A. Okyar Baş, M. Halil and M. Cankurtaran equally contributed to the interpretation of the data; A. Okyar Baş and B.B. Doğu critically revised the manuscript and drafted the manuscript. All authors agree to be fully accountable for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the work and read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics Approval

The study’s ethics approval has taken from the Ankara Hacettepe University Department of Medicine clinical research ethics committee, and the decision number is 2020/313. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any funding from agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.