Low systolic blood pressure is associated with impaired cognitive function in the oldest old: longitudinal observations in a population-based sample 80 years and older

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The primary aim of the present study was to examine whether there is an association between blood pressure and the risk of subsequent cognitive decline in the oldest old. Various factors associated with blood pressure and cognitive function were considered. METHODS: The study comprised 599 individuals of a population-based sample, 199 men (mean age at baseline 82.8 years, range 80-95) and 400 women (mean age at baseline 83.3 years, range 80-100). Cognitive function was evaluated by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). For a subgroup of 385 subjects (130 men, 255 women), data were available on blood pressure and MMSE at baseline and two followups at two-year intervals. Baseline blood pressure was studied in one group with reduced cognition and in another group with intact cognition across the following four years. The association of systolic blood pressure (SBP) with the MMSE score through the follow-up period was analysed controlling for frailty (time to death), age, gender, apoprotein E, homocysteine, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and stroke. RESULTS: A medical history of arterial hypertension was associated with lower MMSE scores and a higher prevalence of dementia and cognitive decline at baseline. However, intact cognition through the observation period was associated with higher baseline SBP. This relationship also remained when the frailty of aging subjects, indicated by remaining time to death, was taken into account. CONCLUSIONS: Lower SBP in the oldest old is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment even after adjustment for compromised vitality. In late life, the risk of cognitive decline needs to be considered in clinical practice.     

Pre-operative mild cognitive dysfunction predicts risk for post-operative delirium after elective cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To identify pre-operative risk factors for delirium in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery, using clearly defined diagnostic criteria for delirium, and a thorough clinical assessment. METHODS: The incidence of post-operative delirium in 107 patients >or=60 years undergoing elective cardiac surgery was calculated. None of the patients included suffered from dementia. Pre-operative cognitive function in all patients was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and post-operative delirium was diagnosed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Post-operative clinical and cognitive assessments were carried out for all patients. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients (23.4%) developed delirium post-operatively. Clinical parameters, including age, gender, co-morbidities, medications, and peri-operative parameters, were similar in patients with and without post-operative delirium. Patients with pre-operative subjective memory complaints and lower MMSE scores, undergoing valve operation or valve + coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), exhibited an increased risk of developing post-operative delirium. Additionally, delirious patients had a significant decline in post-operative MMSE score compared with the non-delirious ones. CONCLUSIONS: The main pre-operative risk factors for post-operative delirium after elective cardiac operations were subjective memory complaints, mild cognitive impairment, and type of cardiac surgery, such as valve procedures. This study suggests that cognitive evaluation should be included in pre-operative assessment.     

Comparisons of cognitive deterioration rates by dementia subtype

Pathophysiological aspects of dementia and its rate of cognitive deterioration could be dependent on disease subtype, Alzheimer's dementia (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), and Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD). 150 patients diagnosed at the Chungnam National University Hospital (87 women and 63 men) memory clinic. The participants consisted of 68 patients with AD, 23 patients with VaD, and 59 patients with PDD, who were diagnosed by the individual criteria, respectively. Cognitive screening was evaluated using the Korean version of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Repeated evaluations were conducted at 6-month, 1 year, and 2 years after initial baseline assessment. Rates of cognitive decline were calculated by dividing MMSE score differences by the number of months lapsed. No difference was found between the three dementia subtypes with respect to baseline MMSE scores. Cognitive decline was not obvious up to 6-month of the follow-up, but by 12-month of follow-ups was significant regardless of the dementia subtype. Furthermore, the rate of cognitive decline in the AD group was significantly faster than in the PDD or VaD groups. This study suggests that rate of cognitive deterioration in dementia is not linear over time and that dementia subtypes have different rates of cognitive deterioration.     

Effect of baseline cognitive function and antihypertensive treatment on cognitive and cardiovascular outcomes: Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE)

BACKGROUND: We examined whether cognitive function at baseline affected cognitive and cardiovascular outcomes in the Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE), a blood pressure (BP)-lowering intervention trial. METHODS: SCOPE included 4937 patients, aged 70 to 89 years, with mild-to-moderate hypertension and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score > or =24. Double-blind treatment was initiated with candesartan or placebo. Open-label therapy was added as needed to control BP, both in the candesartan (49%) and control (66%) groups. Mean follow-up was 3.7 years. Low cognitive function (LCF) at baseline was defined as MMSE score 24 to 28 (N = 2070), and high cognitive function (HCF) as MMSE score 29 to 30 (N = 2867). RESULTS: Mean BP reductions were approximately 20/10 mm Hg both in LCF and HCF patients, with greater reductions in the candesartan group than in the control group. The incidence of dementia was higher in LCF than in HCF patients. A higher cardiovascular event rate observed in LCF patients was explained by older age and other cardiovascular risk factors at baseline. In LCF patients, the MMSE score declined less in the candesartan than in the control group (mean difference 0.49, 95% confidence interval 0.02 to 0.97, P = .04). Nonfatal stroke was reduced in the candesartan group in the total sample (28%, P = .04), with no difference between LCF (27%) and HCF (29%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension and slightly impaired cognitive function (MMSE 24 to 28) are at increased risk of dementia and cardiovascular events. This analysis indicates that effective antihypertensive therapy may reduce cognitive decline and stroke incidence in these patients.     

Comparisons of cognitive deterioration rates by dementia subtype

Pathophysiological aspects of dementia and its rate of cognitive deterioration could be dependent on disease subtype, Alzheimer's dementia (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), and Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD). 150 patients diagnosed at the Chungnam National University Hospital (87 women and 63 men) memory clinic. The participants consisted of 68 patients with AD, 23 patients with VaD, and 59 patients with PDD, who were diagnosed by the individual criteria, respectively. Cognitive screening was evaluated using the Korean version of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Repeated evaluations were conducted at 6-month, 1 year, and 2 years after initial baseline assessment. Rates of cognitive decline were calculated by dividing MMSE score differences by the number of months lapsed. No difference was found between the three dementia subtypes with respect to baseline MMSE scores. Cognitive decline was not obvious up to 6-month of the follow-up, but by 12-month of follow-ups was significant regardless of the dementia subtype. Furthermore, the rate of cognitive decline in the AD group was significantly faster than in the PDD or VaD groups. This study suggests that rate of cognitive deterioration in dementia is not linear over time and that dementia subtypes have different rates of cognitive deterioration.     

The detection of dementia and cognitive impairment in a community population of elderly people with Parkinson's disease by use of the CAMCOG neuropsychological test

AIM: To assess cognitive function in elderly subjects with clinically probable Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: A community sample of 126 patients with probable PD completed the CAMCOG, which is the cognitive section of the Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders, and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The performance of the CAMCOG and the MMSE in detecting dementia in this subject group was compared with the results of applying the DSM-IV criteria for dementia to this population. RESULTS: A total of 44% of the group met DSM-IV criteria for dementia, which is higher than most previous prevalence figures for dementia in PD. The CAMCOG was more sensitive than the MMSE in detecting cognitive impairment and more specific than the MMSE in detecting dementia as defined by DSM-IV criteria. Poorer performance on the CAMCOG was related to gender, social class and age (P<0.05). Among subjects with PD, those with dementia, as defined by DSM-IV criteria, were significantly older, had greater depressive symptomatology and had greater motor deficits. A greater proportion of the group with dementia were living in residential care (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The CAMCOG appears to be a useful screening instrument for dementia and cognitive impairment in PD. Furthermore, it may prove helpful in detecting those with PD who may be at risk of developing dementia and in longitudinal studies of cognitive function in PD.     

Cognitive function and incidence of stroke in older Mexican Americans

BACKGROUND: Given the high prevalence of cognitive impairment in older Mexican Americans and limited longitudinal research examining cognitive function in this ethnic group, we conducted a study examining whether cognitive impairment is a risk factor for new onset of stroke among older Mexican Americans. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study of 2682 Mexican Americans aged 65 years and older living in the southwestern United States. For subjects with no prior history of stroke and who completed the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at baseline, stroke incidence was assessed after 2, 5, and 7 years of follow-up. RESULTS: In Cox proportional regression models, MMSE score at baseline predicted risk of incident stroke over a 7-year follow-up period. For the unadjusted model, subjects with an MMSE score of 21 or higher were half as likely to report stroke at follow-up (hazard ratio [HR], 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35-0.69; p <.001) compared with those with a score of less than 21. We found similar results after controlling for relevant risk factors for stroke including age, gender, smoking status, education, body mass index, diabetes, heart attack, systolic blood pressure, and depressive symptoms (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.38-0.77; p =.001). Additionally, each 1-point increase in MMSE score was associated with a 5% reduction in risk (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92-0.99; p =.01). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing MMSE score is associated with a decreasing incidence of stroke in older Mexican Americans. This study highlights the need for a more aggressive focus on identifying and addressing cognitive decline in the Mexican American population.     

Predictors of Mortality in Home-Dwelling Patients with Cardiovascular Disease Aged 75 and Older

OBJECTIVES: To compare the predictive value of biomarkers commonly measured in older patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) with an indicator of cognitive function.
DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.
SETTING: Helsinki, Finland.
PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred ninety-eight home-dwelling older persons (261 women, mean age 80) with stable CVD and without a diagnosis of clinical dementia.
MEASUREMENTS: Simple laboratory and clinical measurements (including the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE, maximum score 30 points) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification) were used to predict mortality. A MMSE score between 18 and 24 points was considered to indicate cognitive impairment.
RESULTS: At baseline, median MMSE score was 27 (interquartile range 25–28), with 59 individuals having a score below 24 points. During a mean follow-up of 6.0 years, 129 participants died. In the fully adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, low MMSE score was the strongest predictor of mortality, with a relative hazard of 2.38 (95% confidence interval=1.52–3.74; P <.001). Of the various clinical and laboratory variables, only creatinine, C-reactive protein, and history of congestive heart failure were significant independent predictors, whereas conventional risk factors were not.
CONCLUSION: Only a few clinical variables independently predicted 6-year mortality in older home-living patients with CVD. The strongest predictor was impaired cognitive function assessed using MMSE.     

Heart failure and risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND: Heart failure has been linked to cognitive impairment in several previous studies, but to our knowledge, no investigations have explored the relationship between heart failure and the risk of dementia. We sought to examine the hypothesis that heart failure is a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer disease. METHODS: A community-based cohort of 1301 individuals 75 years or older and without dementia in Stockholm, Sweden, was examined 3 times over a 9-year period to detect patients with dementia and Alzheimer disease using the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition. Heart failure was defined according to the guidelines of the Task Force on Heart Failure of the European Society of Cardiology by integrating clinical symptoms and signs with inpatient register entries and use of cardiac medications. Data were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models with adjustment for major potential confounders. RESULTS: During the 6534 person-years of follow-up (mean, 5.02 years per person), 440 subjects were diagnosed as having dementia, including 333 with Alzheimer disease. At baseline, heart failure was identified in 205 subjects. Heart failure was associated with a multi-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.84 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-2.51) for dementia and 1.80 (95% CI, 1.25-2.61) for Alzheimer disease. Use of antihypertensive drugs (83% of which are diuretics) seemed to reduce dementia risk due to heart failure (HR, 1.38; 95% CI, 0.99-1.94). Heart failure and low diastolic pressure (< 70 mm Hg) had an additive effect on the risk for dementia (HR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.67-5.61). CONCLUSIONS: Heart failure is associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease in older adults. Antihypertensive drug therapy may partially counteract the risk effect of heart failure on dementia disorders.     

Cognitive dysfunction in older subjects with diabetes mellitus: impact on diabetes self-management and use of care services

Objective: To determine whether cognitive impairment is associated with changes in self-care behaviour and use of health and social services in older subjects with diabetes mellitus. Research design and methods: This was a community based, case-control study of subjects registered with general practices participating in the All Wales Research into Elderly (AWARE) Diabetes Study. The 396 patients aged 65 years or older with known diabetes mellitus were compared with 393 age- and sex-matched, non-diabetic controls. Adjusted odds ratio estimates of normal performance on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Clock Drawing Test (numbers and hands) were determined. Information on self-care behaviours and use of services was obtained. Results: A total of 283 (71%) diabetic subjects scored 24 or more on MMSE, compared with 323 (88%) of controls (OR 0.54, P<0.0005). The mean (S.D.) scores were 24.5 (5.1) and 25.7 (4.3), respectively (difference between means 1.22; 95% CI 0.56, 1.88; P<0.001). Clock testing demonstrated that 257 (65%) and 286 (72%) diabetic subjects correctly placed the numbers and hands, respectively, compared with 299 (76%) and 329 (84%) of controls (OR 0.59, P<0.001 and P<0.52, P<0.0005, respectively). Both test scores declined with increasing age, earlier school leaving age and deteriorating visual acuity. Of other variables examined, only need for oral hypoglycaemic drugs or insulin, history of stroke, dementia or Parkinson's disease and symptoms of autonomic neuropathy significantly impaired one or more cognitive test scores. The odds ratios (95% CI) for normal cognitive test results in subjects with diabetes after adjusting for all significant variables was 0.74 (0.56, 0.97), P=0.029 for MMSE scores and 0.63 (0.44, 0.93), P=0.019, and 0.58 (0.38, 0.89), P=0.013, for the numbers and hands parts of the clock test, respectively. In comparison with diabetic subjects with no evidence of cognitive impairment, diabetic subjects with an MMSE score <23 were significantly less likely to be involved in diabetes self-care (P<0.001) and diabetes monitoring (P<0.001). A low MMSE score was also significantly associated with higher hospitalisation in the previous year (P=0.001), reduced ADL (activities of daily living) ability (P<0.001) and increased need for assistance in personal care (P=0.001). Conclusions: Elderly subjects with predominantly Type 2 diabetes mellitus display significant excess of cognitive dysfunction, associated with poorer ability in diabetes self-care and greater dependency. Routine screening of cognition in older subjects with diabetes is recommended.     

Predictors of cognitive impairment and dementia in older people with diabetes

Aims/hypothesis Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of dementia but the reasons for this association are unclear because there are many potential mechanisms. We explored the relative contribution of diabetes-related variables as predictors of dementia in older individuals with diabetes. Methods Survivors, aged ≥70 or more, were recruited from an existing observational cohort study 7.6 ± 1.0 years after baseline, when they underwent a comprehensive assessment of diabetes, complications and cardiovascular risk factors. Dementia, probable Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive impairment without dementia were diagnosed clinically. Logistic regression modelling determined independent predictors of cognitive diagnoses. Results Of 302 participants, aged 75.7 ± 4.6 years, 28 (9.3%) had dementia (16 with probable Alzheimer’s disease) and 60 (19.9%) had cognitive impairment without dementia. The major independent longitudinal predictors of dementia were older age (per decade; odds ratio 4.0, 95% CI 1.59–10.10), diabetes duration (for each 5 years; odds ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.24–2.32), peripheral arterial disease (odds ratio 5.35, 95% CI 2.08–13.72) and exercise (which was protective; odds ratio 0.26, 95% CI 0.09–0.73). For Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes duration was an independent predictor in addition to age and diastolic blood pressure. The results of the cross-sectional analyses were similar with respect to diabetes duration and peripheral arterial disease. Conclusions/interpretation Peripheral arterial disease is a strong independent risk factor for dementia in diabetes. After adjustment for a wide range of potential risk factors, diabetes duration remains independently associated with dementia and probable Alzheimer’s disease, indicating that factors not measured in this study may be important in the pathogenesis of dementia in diabetes.     

The risk of dementia and death after delirium

BACKGROUND: delirium is common and is associated with many adverse short-term consequences. OBJECTIVES: to examine the relationship between an episode of delirium and subsequent dementia and death over 3 years. DESIGN: prospective cohort study. SETTING: patients (n = 203) were aged 65 years or older at baseline and survivors of the index admission. METHODS: Using a standard assessment of cognitive function, we followed 38 inpatients diagnosed with delirium (22 with delirium and dementia, 16 with delirium only) and 148 patients with no delirium or dementia, for a median of 32.5 months. Follow-up was by personal interviews, supplemented by standardized clinical examinations. We calculated the incidence and odds of dementia and the incidence and hazard ratio for death, with adjustment for potential confounders. RESULTS: The incidence of dementia was 5.6% per year over 3 years for those without delirium and 18.1% per year for those with delirium. The unadjusted relative risk of dementia for those with delirium was 3.23 (95% confidence interval 1.86-5.63). The adjusted relative risk of death also increased (1.80; 1.11-2.92), while the median survival time was significantly shorter in those with (510 days; 433-587) than in those without delirium (1122 days; 922-1322). CONCLUSION: delirium appears to be an important marker of risk for dementia and death, even in older people without prior cognitive or functional impairment.     

Does 8‐Foot Walk Time Predict Cognitive Decline in Older Mexicans Americans?

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between 8-foot time walk and change in cognitive function over time in older Mexican Americans. DESIGN: Data used are from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly (1993-2001). SETTING: Five southwestern states: Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and California. PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand seventy noninstitutionalized Mexican-American men and women aged 65 and older who had a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 21 or greater at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: Sociodemographic factors (age, sex, education, marital status), MMSE score, 8-foot walk time, body mass index, medical conditions (stroke, heart attack, diabetes mellitus, depression, and hypertension), and near and distant visual impairment. RESULTS: Using general linear mixed models, it was found that subjects with the slowest 8-foot walk time had a significantly greater rate of cognitive decline over 7 years than subjects with the fastest 8-foot walk time. There was a significant 8-foot walk time-by-time interaction with MMSE scores. Subjects in the lowest 8-foot walk time quartile had a greater cognitive decline over 7 years (estimate=-0.32, SE=0.08; P<.001) than those in the highest quartile. This association remained statistically significant after controlling for potential confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Slow 8-foot walk time in older Mexican-American adults without cognitive impairment at baseline was an independent predictor of MMSE score decline over a 7-year period. Slow 8-foot walk time may be an early marker for older adults in a predementia state who may benefit from early-intervention programs to prevent or slow cognitive decline.     

Cognitive impairment,physical disability and depressive symptoms in older diabetic patients: the Fremantle Cognition in Diabetes Study

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the prevalence of dementia, depression and/or disability in older diabetic subjects warrants an active screening approach by diabetes health care workers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The initial 223 members of a cohort of 529 eligible diabetic subjects, aged 70 years or over, were screened for cognitive impairment (using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Informant Questionnaire for Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE)), physical impairments and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Virtually all subjects were community-dwelling (99%) and mobile (86%) and relatively few had moderate or severe deficits in activities of daily living (ADL) (17.5%). The prevalences of cognitive impairment and probable dementia estimated from the screening tests were high (range 10.8-17.5%) compared with population studies. Any deficit with ADL was reported by 53% of the subjects and common problems included urinary and faecal incontinence. Scores consistent with clinical depression were reported by 14.2% of the sample but 50.2% of the remainder reported one or more depressive symptoms below the cut-off point for clinical depression. Only 36% of the study subjects were free of deficits in any domain. CONCLUSIONS: Community-living older diabetic subjects have high rates of cognitive impairment, deficits in physical function and depressive symptomatology suggesting that screening programs for functional impairments and depression may be beneficial in health care systems that manage older diabetic patients.     

The Mini-Cog as a screen for dementia: validation in a population-based sample

OBJECTIVES: To test the Mini-Cog, a brief cognitive screening test, in an epidemiological study of dementia in older Americans. DESIGN: A population-based post hoc examination of the sensitivity and specificity of the Mini-Cog for detecting dementia in an existing data set. SETTING: The Monongahela Valley in Western Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS: A random sample of 1,119 older adults enrolled in the Monongahela Valley Independent Elders Survey (MoVIES). MEASUREMENTS: The effectiveness of the Mini-Cog in detecting independently diagnosed dementia was compared with that of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a standardized neuropsychological battery. RESULTS: The Mini-Cog, scored by an algorithm as "possibly impaired" or "probably normal," and the MMSE, at a cutpoint of 25, had similar sensitivity (76% vs 79%) and specificity (89% vs 88%) for dementia, comparable with that achieved using a conventional neuropsychological battery (75% sensitivity, 90% specificity). CONCLUSION: When applied post hoc to an existing population, the Mini-Cog was as effective in detecting dementia as longer screening and assessment instruments. Its brevity is a distinct advantage when the goal is to improve identification of older adults in a population who may be cognitively impaired. Prior evidence of good performance in a multiethnic community-based sample further supports its validity in the ethnolinguistically diverse populations of the United States in which widely used cognitive screens often fail.     

Albumin, Apolipoprotein E-ɛ4 and Cognitive Decline in Community-Dwelling Chinese Older Adults

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between serum albumin and cognitive impairment and decline in community-living older adults.
DESIGNS: Population-based cohort study, followed up to 2 years; serum albumin, apolipoprotein E (APOE)-ɛ4, and cognitive impairment measured at baseline and cognitive decline (≥2-point drop in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score). Odds ratios were controlled for age, sex, education, medical comorbidity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiac disease, stroke, smoking, alcohol drinking, depression, APOE-ɛ4, nutritional status, body mass index, anemia, glomerular filtration rate, and baseline MMSE.
SETTINGS: Local area whole population.
PARTICIPANTS: One thousand six hundred sixty-four Chinese older adults aged 55 and older.
RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 66.0±7.3, 65% were women, mean serum albumin was 42.3±3.1 g/L, and mean MMSE score was 27.2±3.2. Lower albumin tertile was associated with greater risk of cognitive impairment in cross-sectional analysis (low, odds ratio (OR)=2.30, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.31–4.03); medium, OR=1.59, 95% CI=0.88–2.88) versus high ( P for trend=.002); and with cognitive decline in longitudinal analyses: low, OR=1.73, 95% CI=1.18–2.55; medium, OR=1.32, 95% CI=0.89–1.95, vs high ( P for trend=.004). In cognitively unimpaired respondents at baseline (MMSE≥24), similar associations with cognitive decline were observed ( P for trends <.002). APOE-ɛ4 appeared to modify the association, due mainly to low rates of cognitive decline in subjects with the APOE-ɛ4 allele and high albumin.
CONCLUSION: Low albumin was an independent risk marker for cognitive decline in community-living older adults.     

Olfaction and the 5-year incidence of cognitive impairment in an epidemiological study of older adults

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether odor identification ability is associated with the 5‐year incidence of cognitive impairment in a large population of older adults with normal cognition at baseline and whether olfactory impairment contributes to the prediction of cognitive decline. DESIGN: Population‐based longitudinal study. SETTING: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand nine hundred twenty participants in the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (mean age 66.9). MEASUREMENTS: Olfaction was measured using the San Diego Odor Identification Test (SDOIT). Incident cognitive impairment was defined as a Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of less than 24 or reported diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD) at follow‐up in participants with a MMSE score of 24 or greater and no diagnosis of dementia or AD at baseline. RESULTS: There was a significant association between olfactory impairment at baseline and 5‐year incidence of cognitive impairment (odds ratio (OR)=6.62, 95% confidence interval (CI)=4.36–10.05). The association remained significant after adjusting for possible confounders (OR=3.72, 95% CI=2.31–5.99). The positive predictive value of the SDOIT was 15.9%, the negative predictive value was 97.2%, the sensitivity was 55.1%, and the specificity was 84.4% for 5‐year incidence of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: Olfactory impairment at baseline was strongly associated with 5‐year incidence of cognitive impairment as measured using the MMSE. Odor identification testing may be useful in high‐risk settings, but not in the general population, to identify patients at risk for cognitive decline.     

Reporting of dementia on death certificates: a community study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which conditions suggesting dementia are reported on death certificates of older adults and to identify the factors associated with reporting of dementia. DESIGN: A prospective epidemiological study in which community-dwelling subjects with and without dementia were identified and followed until death, after which their death certificates were examined. POPULATION: A total of 527 individuals who died during 8 years of follow-up of a population-based cohort of 1422 persons aged 65 and older at study entry. MEASUREMENTS: Demographic; study diagnoses, including Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Scale stages and diagnoses of Probable and Possible Alzheimer's disease (AD) by NINCDS-ADRDA criteria; disorders listed on death certificates as immediate, underlying, or contributory causes of death. RESULTS: Of 172 deceased subjects with study diagnoses of dementia, 30.2% had CDR = .5 and 69.8% had CDR > or = 1. Of 168 subjects in which dementia subtype could be diagnosed, Probable AD was diagnosed in 31.0% and Possible AD in 38.7%. On their death certificates, conditions indicating or suggesting dementia were reported in 23.8% of dementias overall; in 1.9% of those with CDR = .5 and 33.3% of those with CDR > or = 1; in 36.5% of those with Probable AD and 21.5% of those with Possible AD. In a multiple logistic regression model, variables associated independently with the reporting of dementia in demented individuals were: higher CDR stage of dementia (odds ratio (OR) 22.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.9-174.7); likely etiology of dementia, Probable AD (OR = 3.5; CI, 1.1-10.6); and place of death, long-term care institution (OR = 3.8; 95% CI, 1.6-9.0). CONCLUSIONS: Although Alzheimer's disease is widely regarded as a leading cause of death, dementias are reported on the death certificates of only a quarter of demented individuals in the population at large. Reporting is more likely in those with more advanced dementia, with Probable Alzheimer's disease, and those who die in long-term care institutions.     

社区脑卒中高危人群非痴呆性血管性认知功能障碍筛查及相关因素分析

目的了解社区脑卒中高危人群认知功能现状及其相关影响因素。方法采用横断面调查方法对天津市河西区4个社区539例脑卒中高危人群进行筛查,采用简易智能状态检查量表及临床痴呆量表评估认知功能,以是否诊断非痴呆性血管性认知功能障碍(VCIND)分为认知正常组401例和认知障碍组138例,比较分析脑卒中高危人群认知功能障碍与脑卒中危险因素的相关性。结果与认知正常组比较,认知障碍组男性(57.2%vs 46.1%)、年龄≥65岁(60.9%vs 39.7%)、高中以下文化程度(87.0%vs 75.1%)、高脂血症(68.8%vs 55.1%)、脑卒中史(34.1%vs 21.7%)、高同型半胱氨酸血症(63.8%vs 53.6%)认知障碍发生率明显升高(P<0.05,P<0.01);高中以下文化程度是影响脑卒中高危人群认知功能的独立危险因素(OR=0.494,95%CI:0.276⁰.883,P<0.05)。结论社区脑卒中高危人群是VCIND的易患人群,提示及早对具有血管性危险因素的社区人群进行认知功能筛查,对防治VCIND的发生具有重要意义。     

Correlates of delayed referral for the diagnosis of dementia in an outpatient population

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of dementia is critical, but there is usually a time lag between onset of symptoms and referral for neuropsychological testing and dementia diagnosis. We aimed to identify factors correlated with this delayed referral. METHODS: We studied 140 patients with cognitive deterioration referred to the Memory Clinic of the Catholic University (Rome) between 1995 and 1996. Alzheimer's disease or multi-infarct dementia was diagnosed according to National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria and Hachinski ischemic score. Global cognitive and neuropsychological functions were assessed with the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) and the Mental Deterioration Battery. The performance on the Activities of Daily Living was used to measure physical function. The time between onset of signs of cognitive deterioration and referral for diagnosis (time to diagnosis: TTD) was estimated through a semistructured interview of the caregiver. Independent correlates of TTD were identified after adjustment for potential confounders and stratifying patients based on level of physical function. RESULTS: Of 127 eligible patients, 63% had Alzheimer's disease, 26% multi-infarct dementia, and 11% had dementia of other types. Mean age was 73.9 +/- 8.2 years, and 59% of patients were females. The mean TTD was 13.8 +/- 10.8 months and did not differ by gender, household composition, or type of dementia. For patients with normal physical function, increased age (beta = .50), female sex (beta = .51), and low MMSE score (beta = .36) were associated with longer TTD. Among patients with physical impairment, only MMSE score showed an association with TTD, but it was of opposite direction (beta = -.31). These associations were consistent by type of dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Age, gender, and degree of cognitive impairment are important correlates of the time between onset of signs/symptoms and referral for dementia diagnosis. These factors are independent of the type of dementia but are influenced by the level of physical function.