OBJECTIVES: Drug-related problems (DRP) are associated with a high clinical and economic burden on elderly patients, care-givers and the healthcare systems. A high exposure to anticholinergic and sedative drugs, measured by the Drug Burden Index (DBI), has been shown to negatively affect the cognitive performance and the functional status of older adults and to increase the risk of falls. Increasing DBI has been associated with greater number of general practitioner visits, hospital stays and length of hospital stay. This study aims to explore the economic impact on healthcare costs of reducing the DBI

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A cohort of patients with cognitive complaint was retrieved in the French health insurance databases between January 2013 and June 2014. For each patient, the DBI was calculated according to daily dose and the defined daily dose (World Health Organization) every 6 months. Mean costs including inpatient and outpatient care, office-based practitioner, pharmacy, transport services and daily allowances were extracted. Relationships between the DBI and costs, controlling for corresponding baseline cognitive function (MMSE), comorbidities, disease status and etiology, healthcare utilisation and sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender), were assessed using analysis of covariance and multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: