Does Sex or Frailty Modify the Relationship Between Antidepressant Exposure and Dementia Risk: A Scoping Review

Frailty was not explored as an effect modifier or confounder in the relationship between antidepressant use and dementia. Sex was also not explored as an effect modifier in the antidepressant-dementia relationship. Two studies (9%) included sex as an interaction term, but they were included in such a way that the findings did not answer our research question. As for exploring sex as a confounder in the antidepressant-dementia relationship, inconsistencies in study characteristics, participant characteristics, and methodologies (including effect measures) hinder a generalized conclusion as to whether or not sex is a confounder in the antidepressant-dementia relationship. Future research could incorporate validated frailty measures, explore sex as an effect modifier, and include sex and gender definitions beyond the binary.