Data Analysis for Drug Repurposing for Effective Alzheimer's Medicines (DREAM) - Methotrexate vs Hydroxychloroquine

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study aims to evaluate the comparative risk of dementia/Alzheimer's disease onset between patients treated with medications that target specific metabolic pathways and patients treated with alternative medications for the same indication.

Detailed Description
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This is a non-randomized, non-interventional study that is part of the DREAM Study of Brigham and Women's Hospital. DREAM is led by Dr. Madhav Thambisetty, MD, PhD, Chief of the Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Section, Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging (NIA) intramural research program. This study aims to evaluate the comparative risk of dementia/Alzheimer's disease onset between patients treated with medications that target specific metabolic pathways and patients treated with alternative medications for the same indication using healthcare claims data.

Official Title
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Data Analysis for Drug Repurposing for Effective Alzheimer's Medicines- Methotrexate vs Hydroxychloroquine

Conditions
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Rheumatoid Arthritis

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: Methotrexate
* Drug: Hydroxychloroquine


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Please see https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14HJn7W3NfPFcaowVDniCi9ulLRKRN2fn2jyeJjGgtzc/edit?usp=sharing or Appendix A for full code and algorithm definitions. Medicare timeframe: 2007 to 2017 (end of data availability). Inclusion Criteria: 1. No prior use of methotrexate or hydroxychloroquine anytime prior to cohort entry date 2. Enrollment in Medicare Part A, B, and D with no HMO coverage for 365 days prior to and including cohort entry date Exclusion Criteria: 1. Prior history of dementia measured anytime prior to cohort entry date 2. No prior history of rheumatoid arthritis recorded in the 365 days prior to cohort entry date 3. Prior history of nursing home admission in the 365 days prior to the cohort entry date 4. Prior history of DMARD use measured anytime prior to cohort entry date

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Methotrexate<br>Reference group | Drug: Methotrexate<br>* Methotrexate is used as the reference group.<br>|
| Hydroxychloroquine<br>Exposure group | Drug: Hydroxychloroquine<br>* Hydroxychloroquine is used as the exposure group.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Time to dementia onset | Time to dementia onset, i.e., Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, senile, presenile, or unspecified dementia, or dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere. Please refer to uploaded protocol for full definition due to size limitations. | Through study completion (a median of 237 days) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Time to Alzheimer's disease onset | Time to Alzheimer's disease onset. Please refer to uploaded protocol for full definition due to size limitations. | Through study completion (a median of 237 days) |