A follow-up study on the outcome and relevant factors in senile dementia of Alzheimer type and vascular dementia

Abstract

We followed 126 patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT), and 129 over age 65 with vascular dementia (VD) who were diagnosed at the Center for Elderly Dementia in our institution between February 1990 and February 1993. At 5-year follow-up, 62 patients with SDAT and 71 patients with VD had died. These patients were assessed prospectively to investigate the neuropsychiatric and somatic factors related to the prognosis of SDAT and VD. There were no significant differences in the average age at onset and time of diagnosis of dementia between the SDAT and VD groups. Mean age at death, mean duration of dementia and 75% survival duration from dementia onset were shorter in patients with VD than in those with SDAT. Pneumonia was the most common cause of death in patients with either SDAT or VD, followed by geromarasmus in the SDAT group, and cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases in the VD group. In patients with SDAT, a poor prognosis was correlated with severe dementia, impaired intellectual function and degree of cortical atrophy. In patients with VD, physical complications, impaired motor function and hypoproteinemia enhanced the probability of death. This study confirmed that a progressive neurodegenerative course and physical conditions such as motor dysfunction or malnutrition are closely associated with the prognosis of patients with SDAT and VD, respectively.