Proton pump inhibitors and the risk of severe cognitive impairment: The role of posttraumatic stress disorder

Introduction Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), a common treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), were recently associated with increased risk of dementia. However, severe or chronic stress including, for example, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was not accounted for. This study examined whether PPI use was associated with severe cognitive impairment (SCI) and whether PTSD explained this association in a cohort of World Trade Center (WTC) responders. Method A prospective cohort study of 3779 WTC responders attending a university-based monitoring and treatment program. Prescriptions for PPIs and SCI determined using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment were the focus of the analysis. Results Overall, 1451 (38.4%) responders were dispensed PPIs, and 83 (2.2%) had SCI. Bivariable analyses revealed significant associations between being-dispensed PPIs in relation to SCI. After adjusting for PTSD, major depressive disorder, WTC exposures, age, and sex, being-dispensed PPIs were significantly associated with odds of SCI (adjusted odds ratio = 1.67 95% confidence interval = 1.054–2.643). Conclusions Being-dispensed PPIs were associated with SCI in this analysis of WTC responders. Results suggest that clinicians treating GERD seek to both understand patients' mental health history and monitor cognitive functioning when designing treatment routines. Overall, results confirmed that this is an important area of investigation with potential direct clinical implications.