Association between caregiver burden and comorbidity in elderly patients with cognitive impairment

Abstract

Objective To examine the association between caregiver burden and comorbidity in elderly patients with cognitive impairment. Methods The study was conducted in 212 patients at the Memory Clinic and the Departments of Geriatrics and Neurology of Fuxing Hospital from September 2014 to September 2016.Recruited patients were assigned into a dementia group and a non-dementia group according to their cognitive status and were examined using mini mental state examination(MMSE), auditory verbal learning test(AVLT), activity of daily living(ADL), neuropsychiatric inventory(NPI), and Charlson comorbidity index(CCI). Their caregivers were surveyed with Zarit burden inventory(ZBI). Results The ZBI score was significantly correlated with patients' age, gender, CCI, MMSE, NPI, and ADL.The ZBI score was higher in male patients(21.21±11.24)than in female patients(18.33±10.38). Age(r=0.10, P<0.001), NPI(r=0.32, P<0.001), ADL(r=0.29, P<0.001), and CCI(r=0.38, P<0.001)were positively correlated with caregiver burden, while MMSE(r=-0.28, P<0.001)was negatively correlated with it.Multiple linear regression model analysis indicated that MMSE, NPI, ADL, and CCI were influencing factors for caregiver burden.When CCI was stratified into CCIno dementia and CCIdementia, influencing factors for caregiver burden were identified as MMSE, NPI, ADL, and CCIdementia. Conclusions Cognitive deterioration, decrease in ADL, and neuropsychiatric symptoms in elderly patients are the major causes of increased caregiver burden.Besides, the number and severity of comorbidity are independent factors for caregiver burden. Key words: Cognition disorders; Comorbidity; Caregivers