Predicting cognitive sequelae in survivors of critical illness with cognitive screening tests

Rationale: Survivors of critical illness have a high rate of cognitive impairments that may persist years after hospital discharge. Data are lacking regarding whether cognitive screening tests administered at hospital discharge can be used to predict which critically ill patients are likely to have long-term cognitive sequelae. Objectives: This prospective study assessed whether two cognitive screening tests, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Mini-Cog, administered at hospital discharge, predict cognitive sequelae in survivors of critical illness 6 months after hospital discharge. Methods: Seventy critically ill patients completed the MMSE and Mini-Cog just before hospital discharge. Of these 70 patients, 53 completed a neuropsychological battery 6 months after hospital discharge. Measurements and Main Results: At hospital discharge, 45 patients (64%) had impaired performance on the MMSE (score < 27, mean = 24.4) and 32 (45%) on the Mini-Cog. Twenty-seven patients (39%) were impaired on both the MMSE and Mini-Cog, whereas only 20 patients (28%) had scores in the normal range on both tests. Cognitive sequelae occurred in 57% of survivors (30 of 53) at 6 months, with predominant dysfunction in the memory (38%) and executive (36%) domains. Logistic regression analyses showed that neither the MMSE nor the Mini-Cog predicted cognitive sequelae at 6 months. Conclusions: A large number of critically ill survivors had cognitive impairments, as assessed by the MMSE and Mini-Cog, at hospital discharge. However, the MMSE and Mini-Cog scores did not predict long-term cognitive sequelae at 6-month follow-up and cannot be used as surrogate endpoints for long-term cognitive impairment.     

Simplifying detection of cognitive impairment: comparison of the Mini-Cog and Mini-Mental State Examination in a multiethnic sample

OBJECTIVES: To compare detection of cognitive impairment using the Mini-Cog and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and to identify sociodemographic variables that influence detection in an ethnoculturally diverse sample. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: A registry of the University of Washington Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Satellite. PARTICIPANTS: A heterogeneous community sample (n=371) of predominantly ethnic minority elderly assessed using a standardized research protocol, 231 of whom met criteria for dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MEASUREMENTS: Demographic data, a standardized research protocol for cognitive assessment and dementia diagnosis, MMSE, and Mini-Cog. RESULTS: Both screens effectively detected cognitive impairment, the Mini-Cog slightly better than the MMSE (P<.01). Overall accuracy of classification was 83% for the Mini-Cog and 81% for the MMSE. The Mini-Cog was superior in recognizing patients with Alzheimer-type dementias (P=.05). Low education negatively affected detection using the MMSE (P<.001), whereas education did not affect the Mini-Cog, and low literacy minimally affected it. CONCLUSION: The Mini-Cog detects clinically significant cognitive impairment as well as or better than the MMSE in multiethnic elderly individuals, is easier to administer to non-English speakers, and is less biased by low education and literacy.     

军队体检人群应用两种量表筛查认知功能障碍的临床研究

目的探讨联合应用AD8和简易智力状态评估量表(Mini-Cog)在军队体检人群筛查认知功能障碍的特异性和敏感性。方法纳入我院常规健康体检军队人群1723例,对自愿接受认知功能测评者行AD8量表和Mini-Cog测评,最终同时接受AD8量表和Mini-Cog检测的体检者160例。采用ROC曲线分析量表评估的敏感性、特异性,计算ROC曲线下面积(AUC)。结果AD8量表和Mini-Cog测评提示认知功能障碍者分别为84例(52.5%)和71例(44.4%),两者联合检测提示双异常者为43例(26.9%)。160例受检者中临床诊断为认知功能障碍者66例(41.3%),其中AD8量表检出率为69.7%,Mini-Cog检出率为83.3%,两者联合检出率为56.1%。ROC曲线分析显示,两者联合检测特异性为93.6%,敏感性为56.1%。AD8(≥2分)量表、Mini-Cog及两者联合检测评估认知功能障碍的AUC比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。与认知正常者比较,双异常者年龄明显增高(P<0.01),在调整年龄的影响因素后,协方差分析显示,双异常者连线A完成时间明显延长,简易智能状态检查量表、延迟回忆、执行功能、工作记忆、词语流畅性评分明显降低(P<0.01)。结论AD8和Mini-Cog操作简单,测评所需时间短,两者联合检测可明显提高痴呆患者检出的特异性,适用于在初级医疗卫生保健机构筛查认知功能障碍患者。     

Mini mental state examination in geriatric stroke patients. Validity, differences between subgroups of patients, and relationships to somatic and mental variables

To study the validity of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) in geriatric stroke patients, 116 patients were tested 2-8 weeks and 6 months post-stroke. A neuropsychological test battery consisting of five tests measuring memory, calculation and spatial ability was used for validation. Motor activity, depression, aphasia and activities of daily living were assessed. Confusion in the acute stage, Barthel Index, depression scores, level of motor activity, and most of the neuropsychological tests correlated to the MMSE. Logistic regression showed 4 independent variables which could predict the MMSE scores. A factor analysis showed 3 factors which could explain 53% of the variance. The sensitivity for detecting dementia was 56%, and increased to 68% if patients with isolated spatial dysfunction were excluded. The MMSE had acceptable validity in detecting cognitive dysfunction early poststroke in this old patient population.     

Evaluation of a Japanese version of the Mini‐Mental State Examination in elderly persons

Aim: This study aimed to examine the validity and item‐response characteristics of the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE), which is used for assessing cognitive function, in Japanese older adults. Methods: Factor analysis and item response analysis were carried out for MMSE responses (n = 1971) from older adults living in the community (n = 1339) or in a nursing home (n = 632), including Alzheimer‐type dementia (n = 330), vascular dementia (n = 36), frontotemporal dementia (n = 7), mixed Alzheimer‐type and frontotemporal type dementia (n = 27), and age‐related cognitive decline (n = 29). When choosing the cut‐off score of 23 points for the MMSE, sensitivity and specificity for each item were calculated. Results: A three‐factor solution was found to be most appropriate by factor analysis: complex processing, simple processing and working memory. The item characteristics curves showed unidimensionality with high reproducibility. We identified a simplified scale comprising 10 items in all participants: “naming”, “three‐step command”, “registration”, “repeat a sentence”, “write a complete sentence”, “copies drawing of two polygons”, “orientation to place”, “delayed recall”, “orientation to time” and “serial sevens” tasks. Sensitivity and specificity for both “year” task and “day” task were more than 90% (“year”: sensitivity 92.5%, specificity 96.3%; “day”: sensitivity 92.4%, specificity 91.7%). For the Alzheimer‐type dementia patients, the five‐factor solution was suggested by factor analysis and the MMSE also had unidimensionality in terms of level of difficulty. Conclusions: We found that the MMSE had multiple cognitive areas. We showed that the MMSE could be used as an essentially unidimensional measure of cognitive ability and the question about orientation to time might be useful in the simplest assessment to identify cognitive dysfunction. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2012; 12: 310–316.     

Development of a short neuropsychological battery to screen early dementia in the elderly

Background:   The purpose of the present study was to develop a short screening neuropsychological battery for patients with very mild and mild dementia.
Methods:   The participants involved in the present study consisted of 162 persons who were 65 years and older. Fifty-four of the patients had very mild or mild dementia and had a mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score of 19 or above. Normal control samples were community-dwelling volunteers, or persons recruited from outpatients who did not suffer from any cognitive problems. Mini-mental state examination, the category cued memory test (CCMT) – a modified brief memory test in which category cues were given for both acquisition and retrieval – verbal fluency test (VFT) and clock drawing test (CDT) were carried out. Using logistic regression models, the best battery was selected. The validity and reliability of the battery were also assessed.
Results:   The combination of CCMT, VFT and CDT was the best screening battery and could be accomplished in about 10 min. The battery had a high degree of sensitivity (94.4%), specificity (99.1%), positive and negative predictive values. Test-retest, interrater and alternate forms reliabilities were substantial using the intraclass correlation coefficient, and all of the P -values analyzed by the Pearson correlation coefficient were below 0.005.
Conclusions:   This short battery has enough validity, reliability and efficiency to detect early dementia especially in an elderly primary care setting. The CCMT is also a useful memory test even if used alone.     

Mini-mental state examination and mental deterioration battery: analysis of the relationship and clinical implications

OBJECTIVES: To explore the associative structure between a screening test for dementia, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and a neuropsychological battery for the detection of dementia, the Mental Deterioration Battery (MDB). DESIGN: A retrospective analysis. SETTING: Psychology unit of a general hospital in Rome, Italy. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred consecutive outpatients and inpatients referred to our hospital on the basis of suspected cognitive impairment and evaluated between January 1999 and March 2000. MEASUREMENTS: MMSE and MDB. RESULTS: Of the 300 subjects evaluated by the MMSE score, 142 (47.3%) were considered to be cognitively healthy, and 116 (38.7%) were mildly and 42 (14.0%) moderately impaired. Factor analysis of MDB extracted three factors able to account for 75% of the total variance: a visuospatial factor, verbal memory ability, and a language skill. Using MMSE as an independent variable, a linear regression model could account for the visuospatial and language factors and a cubic regression model for the verbal memory factor. Within the normal MMSE boundaries (24-30), a dramatic decrease of verbal memory could be documented, whereas the slope is less steep in the mild impairment group (16-23). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate the presence of a warning range within the normal MMSE interval. Thus, the traditional MMSE cutoff values may not be appropriate in detecting early phases of dementia. When patients score about 27 on MMSE, it should be of interest to check whether they fail only on long-term memory tests, because this could be a first signal of a preclinical condition heralding clear dementia (e.g., mild cognitive impairment).     

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment

OBJECTIVES: To develop a 10-minute cognitive screening tool (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA) to assist first-line physicians in detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a clinical state that often progresses to dementia. DESIGN: Validation study. SETTING: A community clinic and an academic center. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-four patients meeting MCI clinical criteria supported by psychometric measures, 93 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score > or =17), and 90 healthy elderly controls (NC). MEASUREMENTS: The MoCA and MMSE were administered to all participants, and sensitivity and specificity of both measures were assessed for detection of MCI and mild AD. RESULTS: Using a cutoff score 26, the MMSE had a sensitivity of 18% to detect MCI, whereas the MoCA detected 90% of MCI subjects. In the mild AD group, the MMSE had a sensitivity of 78%, whereas the MoCA detected 100%. Specificity was excellent for both MMSE and MoCA (100% and 87%, respectively). CONCLUSION: MCI as an entity is evolving and somewhat controversial. The MoCA is a brief cognitive screening tool with high sensitivity and specificity for detecting MCI as currently conceptualized in patients performing in the normal range on the MMSE.     

Sensitivity and specificity of cognitive and functional screening instruments for dementia: the Indo-U.S. Dementia Epidemiology Study

There is a shortage of adequate screening instruments for dementia in poorly educated populations and non-English-speaking groups. An epidemiological survey was conducted in a population-based, largely illiterate, sample of 5,126 individuals aged 55 and older in 28 villages in the rural community of Ballabgarh in northern India. All participants were administered a general mental status test, the Hindi Mental State Examination (HMSE), and a brief battery of neuropsychological tests. Their informants answered a questionnaire assessing functional ability, the Everyday Abilities Scale for India (EASI). Six hundred thirty-two participants underwent clinical diagnostic evaluation for dementia. We investigated whether the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value for dementia of the mental status test could be improved by the addition of the brief neuropsychological test battery or the functional questionnaire, comparing the instruments alone and in combination. In participants who could be tested cognitively, the HMSE, the neuropsychological battery, and EASI had sensitivities of 81.3%, 81.3%, and 62.5%, respectively, with specificities of 60.2%, 74.5%, and 89.7%, respectively. The combination of all three was 93.8% sensitive and 41.8% specific. The sensitivity of the HMSE alone was nonsignificantly improved by the addition of either the EASI or the neuropsychological battery, whereas its specificity was significantly decreased by either addition. An advantage of the EASI was that it could also be administered to informants of subjects who were cognitively untestable. In this largely illiterate community, with a low prevalence of dementia, the combination of cognitive tests and a functional ability questionnaire had substantial value for population screening.     

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.     

Implementing Routine Cognitive Screening of Older Adults in Primary Care: Process and Impact on Physician Behavior

Background Early detection of cognitive impairment is a goal of high-quality geriatric medical care, but new approaches are needed to reduce rates of missed cases. Objective To evaluate whether adding routine cognitive screening to primary care visits for older adults increases rates of dementia diagnosis, specialist referral, or prescribing of antidementia medications. Setting Four primary care clinics in a university-affiliated primary care network. Design A quality improvement screening project and quasiexperimental comparison of 2 intervention clinics and 2 control clinics. The Mini-Cog was administered by medical assistants to intervention clinic patients aged 65+ years. Rates of dementia diagnoses, referrals, and medication prescribing were tracked over time using computerized administrative data. Results Twenty-six medical assistants successfully screened 70% (n = 524) of all eligible patients who made at least 1 clinic visit during the intervention period; 18% screened positive. There were no complaints about workflow interruption. Relative to baseline rates and control clinics, Mini-Cog screening was associated with increased dementia diagnoses, specialist referrals, and prescribing of cognitive enhancing medications. Patients without previous dementia indicators who had a positive Mini-Cog were more likely than all other patients to receive a new dementia diagnosis, specialty referral, or cognitive enhancing medication. However, relevant physician action occurred in only 17% of screen-positive patients. Responses were most related to the lowest Mini-Cog score level (0/5) and advanced age. Conclusion Mini-Cog screening by office staff is feasible in primary care practice and has measurable effects on physician behavior. However, new physician action relevant to dementia was likely to occur only when impairment was severe, and additional efforts are needed to help primary care physicians follow up appropriately on information suggesting cognitive impairment in older patients. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Identification of dementia in epidemiological research: a study on the usefulness of various data sources

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Prevalence and incidence ratios of dementia in epidemiological studies vary according to the data source used. Medical records, cognitive tests, and registry information are sources frequently used to differentiate dementia from normal aging. The aim of the present study was to compare the identification of dementia from these different sources with that from consensus diagnosis.METHODS: 498 elderly people (age range 70-81 at baseline) enrolled in a Swedish population-based longitudinal twin study (Gender) were evaluated on physical and mental health and interviewed for their socio-demographic background three times during an eight-year period. Reviews of medical records and the Swedish Discharge Registry (DR) were conducted. The 10th percentile was used to differentiate between dementia and non-dementia in all cognitive tests. Scores of 24 or below on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (range 1-30) indicated dementia. A consensus conference diagnosed dementia on the basis of total information. The consensus diagnosis was used as the gold standard. RESULTS: MMSE scores (sensitivity 64%, specificity 96%, kappa 0.65) and the review of medical records (sensitivity 57%, specificity 99%, kappa 0.65) were good sources for dementia identification. The precision of medical records increased when recordings of cognitive impairment were included (sensitivity 83%, specificity 98%, kappa 0.84). The discharge registry had low sensitivity (26%) and kappa coefficient (0.31). CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that both review of medical records and MMSE scores are good although not perfect identifiers of dementia. The discharge registry is an uncertain source of dementia identification.     

简易认知量表和8条目痴呆筛查问卷在高龄老年人群早期认知功能下降筛查中的应用

目的探讨简易认知量表（Mini-Cog）和8条目痴呆筛查问卷（8-item ascertain dementia, AD8）对80岁以上老年人群早期轻度认知功能障碍（mild cognitive impairment, MCI）的筛查价值。 方法选取杭州市某福利中心的2014年10月前已入住的908名高龄老年人进行Mini-Cog和AD8筛查,随访5年后对仍然健在且能配合完成检查者进行二次认知功能评估。计算Mini-Cog和AD8初筛的敏感度和特异度,并分析随访5年后AD8的ROC曲线结果以及两种量表的一致性检验结果。 结果908例高龄老年人中523例确诊为痴呆（不计入后续筛查及随访调查）,余385例筛查结果显示：Mini-Cog、AD8诊断MCI的敏感度分别为54.88%、57.32%,特异度分别为85.52%、86.43%。随访5年后仍健在且接受二次评估的老年人共167名,其中认知功能正常106例（54例出现认知功能下降）,MCI 61例（36例出现认知功能进一步下降）。对于随访5年的认知功能正常者及MCI者,AD8诊断的AUC分别为0.572（95%CI=0.486-0.658）、0.723（95%CI=0.611-0.835）,Mini-Cog和AD8（以得分>3为分界线）诊断的一致性Kappa值分别为0.105、0.018和0.225、0.524。 结论AD8和Mini-Cog均具有一定的MCI评估效能,尤其适用于养老机构及社区高龄老年群体的认知功能筛查。     

Neuropsychological predictors of decision-making capacity over 9 months in mild-to-moderate dementia

BACKGROUND: Older adults with dementia may have diminished capacity to make medical treatment decisions. OBJECTIVE: To examine rates and neuropsychological predictors of treatment decision making, or consent capacity, among older adults with dementia over 9 months. DESIGN: Consent capacity was assessed initially and 9 months later in subjects with and without dementia using a longitudinal repeated measures design. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-three older adults with dementia and 53 similarly aged adults without dementia. MEASUREMENTS: A standardized measure MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Treatment of 4 legal standards for capacity (Understanding, Appreciation, Reasoning, and Expressing a Choice) and a neuropsychological battery. RESULTS: In the dementia group, 9.4% had impaired capacity initially, and 26.4% had impaired capacity at 9 months. Mean scores in the dementia group were impaired relative to controls initially and at 9 months for Understanding (initial t=2.49, P=.01; 9-month t=3.22, P<.01) and Reasoning (initial t=2.18, P=.03; 9-month t=4.77, P<.01). Declining capacity over 9 months was attributable to a further reduction in Reasoning (group x time F=9.44, P=.003). Discriminant function analysis revealed that initial scores on naming, delayed Logical Memory, and Trails B were associated with impaired capacity at 9 months. CONCLUSIONS: Some patients with mild-to-moderate dementia develop a clinically relevant impairment of consent capacity within a year. Consent capacity in adults with mild-to-moderate dementia should be reassessed periodically to ensure that it is adequate for each specific informed consent situation. Interventions that maximize Understanding and Reasoning by supporting naming, memory, and flexibility may help to optimize capacity in this patient group.     

Validation of abridged mini-mental state examination scales using population-based data from Sweden and USA

The objective of this study is to validate two abridged versions of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE): one intended for use in face-to-face interviews, and the other developed for telephonic interviews, using data from Sweden and the US to validate the abridged scales against dementia diagnoses as well as to compare their performance to that of the full MMSE scale. The abridged versions were based on eight domains from the original MMSE scale. The domains included in the MMSE-SF were registration, orientation, delayed recall, attention, and visual spatial ability. In the MMSE-SF-C, the visual spatial ability item was excluded, and instead, one additional orientation item was added. There were 794 participants from the Swedish HARMONY study [mean age 81.8 (4.8); the proportion of cognitively impaired was 51 %] and 576 participants from the US ADAMS study [mean age 83.2 (5.7); the proportion of cognitively impaired was 65 %] where it was possible to compare abridged MMSE scales to dementia diagnoses and to the full MMSE scale. We estimated the sensitivity and specificity levels of the abridged tests, using clinical diagnoses as reference. Analyses with both the HARMONY and the ADAMS data indicated comparable levels of sensitivity and specificity in detecting cognitive impairment for the two abridged scales relative to the full MMSE. Receiver operating characteristic curves indicated that the two abridged scales corresponded well to those of the full MMSE. The two abridged tests have adequate validity and correspond well with the full MMSE. The abridged versions could therefore be alternatives to consider in larger population studies where interview length is restricted, and the respondent burden is high.     

Cognitive Decline and Mortality in a Community-Based Cohort: The Monongahela Valley Independent Elders Survey

OBJECTIVES: To compare, in a longitudinal cohort study, declines in specific cognitive domains on their ability to predict time to death, in the presence and absence of dementia, and to explore an explanatory role for vascular disease.
DESIGN: Prospective population-based epidemiological study.
SETTING: The mid-Monongahela valley of southwestern Pennsylvania from 1987 to 2002.
PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred eighty-nine community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older enrolled in the Monongahela Valley Independent Elders Survey.
MEASUREMENTS: Biennial assessments of a range of cognitive domains for up to 12 years. Mortality was modeled as a function of decline in each domain, adjusting for vascular diseases and stratified according to age (≤75 (younger-old) and >75 (older-old)) using Cox proportional hazards modeling.
RESULTS: Average annual declines in almost all cognitive domains were significant predictors of mortality in the cohort as a whole. However, after adjustment for dementia, only general cognition, processing speed, the language composite, and the executive function composite remained significant. Adjustment for vascular diseases did not alter the results. In the younger-old group, decline in memory (hazard ratio (HR)=21.4) and executive function (HR=25.5) remained strong predictors after adjustment for dementia and vascular disease. In the older-old group, decline in processing speed was a strong predictor of mortality before (HR=7.4) and after (HR=5.3) controlling for dementia and vascular diseases.
CONCLUSION: Decline in most cognitive domains predicted mortality across the cohort, but declines in memory and learning were not independent of dementia. Different domains predicted mortality in the younger and older subgroups.     

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.     

The time and change test: a simple screening test for dementia

BACKGROUND: Although dementia screening tests are available, they have not gained widespread use in hospital or primary care settings. Our goal was to develop a simple, standardized, performance-based test incorporating real-world activities to augment screening efforts in older populations: the Time and Change (T&C) Test. METHODS: The study followed a prospective cohort design, involving medicine and surgery services at an urban teaching hospital. From consecutive admissions, 776 participants aged 70-98 years, 14% with dementia, were enrolled. T&C ratings were validated against a reference standard based on the modified Blessed Dementia Rating Scale and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Convergent validity with other cognitive measures, test-retest agreement, and interobserver reliability were assessed. RESULTS: The T&C Test had a sensitivity of 86%, specificity of 71%, and negative predictive value of 97%. The T&C Test demonstrated convergent agreement with three cognitive measures, agreeing most strongly with the MMSE (r = .58). Test-retest and interobserver agreement rates were 88% and 78%, respectively. Education explained 3% of the variance of the T&C Test, compared with 13% of the MMSE. The T&C Test took a mean of 22.9 seconds to complete and was acceptable to participants. Refusal of any test component occurred in 39 individuals (5%). CONCLUSIONS: The T&C Test is a simple, accurate, reliable, performance-based tool for detection of dementia. With its quick, easy-to-use, real-world nature, we hope the T&C Test will be used for widespread cognitive screening in older populations.     

The GPCOG: a new screening test for dementia designed for general practice

OBJECTIVES: To design and test a brief, efficient dementia-screening instrument for use by general practitioners (GPs). DESIGN: The General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition (GPCOG) consists of cognitive test items and historical questions asked of an informant. The validity of the measure was assessed by comparison with the criterion standard of diagnoses of dementia derived from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition). SETTING: Primary care doctors' offices. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-seven GPs administered the GPCOG to 283 community-dwelling patients aged 50 to 74 with memory complaints or aged 75 and older. MEASUREMENTS: The Cambridge Mental Disorder of the Elderly Examination, the Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, and the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey. RESULTS: The GPCOG was reliable and superior to the AMT (and possibly to the MMSE) in detecting dementia. The two-stage method of administering the GPCOG (cognitive testing followed by informant questions if necessary)had a sensitivity of 0.85, a specificity of 0.86, a misclassification rate of 14%, and positive predictive value of 71.4%. Patient interviews took less than 4 minutes to administer and informant interviews less than 2 minutes. The instrument was reported by GPs to be practical to administer and was acceptable to patients. CONCLUSION: The GPCOG is a valid, efficient, well-accepted instrument for dementia screening in primary care.