TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing patient dependence in Alzheimer's disease
AU - Stern, Y.
AU - Albert, S. M.
AU - Sano, M.
AU - Richards, M.
AU - Miller, L.
AU - Folstein, M.
AU - Albert, M.
AU - Bylsma, F. W.
AU - Lafleche, G.
PY - 1994
Y1 - 1994
N2 - Background. While cognitive and functional deficits are the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), loss of social function (and the dependence this implies) is also critical, especially in early stages of disease. Little attention has been directed to this facet of dementing disease. We describe a scale for assessing dependency in AD and present a baseline profile of dependency in a cohort of AD patients. Methods. In a study of the predictors of the course of AD, 233 patients in early stages of disease (modified MMS ≥ 30) were assessed. Psychometric properties of the dependence scale were established. To validate the scale, dependence scores at baseline were correlated with a series of measures assessing cognition and function. The course of dependency over 18 months of follow-up was also analyzed. Results. The scale shows adequate reliability (test-retest, intraclass correlation). Dependence stage was related to other measures of disease severity. Scalogram analysis shows that the dependence scale is consistent with the course of functional loss established for dementing disease. Prospective data indicate sensitivity of the scale to disease progression. Conclusion. Dependency is a distinct, measurable component of dementing disease and should be considered an important outcome in studies of AD.
AB - Background. While cognitive and functional deficits are the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), loss of social function (and the dependence this implies) is also critical, especially in early stages of disease. Little attention has been directed to this facet of dementing disease. We describe a scale for assessing dependency in AD and present a baseline profile of dependency in a cohort of AD patients. Methods. In a study of the predictors of the course of AD, 233 patients in early stages of disease (modified MMS ≥ 30) were assessed. Psychometric properties of the dependence scale were established. To validate the scale, dependence scores at baseline were correlated with a series of measures assessing cognition and function. The course of dependency over 18 months of follow-up was also analyzed. Results. The scale shows adequate reliability (test-retest, intraclass correlation). Dependence stage was related to other measures of disease severity. Scalogram analysis shows that the dependence scale is consistent with the course of functional loss established for dementing disease. Prospective data indicate sensitivity of the scale to disease progression. Conclusion. Dependency is a distinct, measurable component of dementing disease and should be considered an important outcome in studies of AD.
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U2 - 10.1093/geronj/49.5.M216
DO - 10.1093/geronj/49.5.M216
M3 - Article
C2 - 8056940
AN - SCOPUS:0028100503
SN - 0022-1422
VL - 49
SP - M216-M222
JO - Journals of Gerontology
JF - Journals of Gerontology
IS - 5
ER -