Baseline characteristics of people with or without dementia by exposure group, N (%)
| Characteristic | People with dementia (N=447) | People without dementia (N=234 867) | ||||
| NRT (N=409) | Varenicline (N=38) | Total | NRT (N=159 327) | Varenicline (N=75 540) | Total | |
| Age at time of first prescription* | 71.1 (12.2) | 66.2 (15.1) | 70.7 (12.6) | 46.2 (15.5) | 44.4 (13.2) | 45.6 (14.8) |
| Sex (male) | 186 (45.5%) | 19 (50.0%) | 205 (45.9%) | 73 674 (46.2%) | 37 676 (49.9%) | 111 350 (47.4%) |
| Index of multiple deprivation score (IMD)†‡ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| No of GP visits 1 year prior to first prescription* | 11.5 (9.0) | 15.3 (9.9) | 11.8 (9.1) | 8.9 (7.4) | 7.3 (6.1) | 8.4 (7.0) |
| BMI*† | 24.6 (5.1) | 25.7 (6.3) | 24.7 (5.4) | 26.5 (5.7) | 26.5 (5.4) | 26.5 (5.6) |
| Year of first prescription† | 2010 | 2010 | 2010 | 2009 | 2010 | 2009 |
| Days of history* | 3573.8 (2181.2) | 3450.3 (2327.4) | 3563.3 (2191.5) | 3052.9 (1907.1) | 3164.8 (1986.2) | 3088.9 (1933.6) |
| Comorbidity ever (Charlson Index) | 354 (86.6%) | 28 (73.7%) | 382 (85.5%) | 59 489 (37.3%) | 24 017 (31.8%) | 83 506 (35.6%) |
| Alcohol misuse ever | 104 (25.4%) | 11 (29.0%) | 115 (25.7%) | 13 890 (8.7%) | 4759 (6.3%) | 18 649 (7.9%) |
| Self-harm ever | 67 (16.4%) | 9 (23.7%) | 76 (17.0%) | 17 232 (10.8) | 6652 (8.8%) | 23 884 (10.2%) |
| Ever anxiety and stress related disorders | 151 (36.9%) | 16 (42.1%) | 167 (37.4%) | 44 381 (27.9%) | 17 377 (23.0%) | 61 758 (26.3%) |
| Other behavioural/neurological disorder ever | 30 (7.3%) | 6 (15.8%) | 36 (8.1%) | 8693 (5.5%) | 2956 (3.9%) | 11 649 (5.0%) |
| Ever depression | 217 (53.1%) | 26 (68.4%) | 243 (54.4%) | 65 343 (41.0%) | 26 097 (34.6%) | 91 440 (38.9%) |
| Ever antidepressants | 273 (66.7%) | 28 (73.7%) | 301 (67.3%) | 79.584 (50.0%) | 32 230 (42.7%) | 111 814 (47.6%) |
| Ever antipsychotics | 175 (42.8%) | 13 (34.2%) | 188 (42.1%) | 28 972 (18.2%) | 9792 (13.0%) | 38 764 (16.5%) |
| Ever hypnotics/anxiolytics | 238 (58.2%) | 20 (52.6%) | 258 (57.7%) | 60 092 (37.7%) | 25 134 (33.3%) | 85 226 (36.3%) |
*Data presented are mean and SD.
†Data presented are median.
‡Missing data: BMI data were missing for 14.1% (N=33 059); IMD data were missing for 43.6% (N=102 657).
BMI, body mass index; GP, general practitioner.