Abstract
ABSTRACTThe sundown syndrome is a complex neurobehavioral disorder in patients with dementia associated with high financial cost and significant caregiver burden. It is a multifactorial phenomenon with unclear pathophysiology, characterized by the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in the evening period.Objective:To analyze the main neuropsychiatric symptoms, their correlation with one another, with comorbidities, and with time of day of greatest symptom intensity in patients with Alzheimer’s disease dementia.Methods:This is a cross-sectional, observational and explanatory study in which caregivers/relatives of elderly patients with dementia were interviewed using a structured tool called the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI).Results:The sample studied was composed of 38 patients, 60.5% female and 39.5% male, with mean age of 81±6 (67-94) years. A high frequency of neuropsychiatric symptoms in the evening period was observed, predominantly irritability (55.3%), nocturnal behavior (47.4%), and aggressiveness (42.1%). Only 36.8% of the family caregivers used non-pharmacological strategies.Conclusion:The frequency of neuropsychiatric symptoms was exacerbated in the evening among patients with Alzheimer’s disease, especially for those behavioral symptoms that had a positive correlation with one another.
Highlights
The sundown syndrome is a complex neurobehavioral disorder in patients with dementia associated with high financial cost and significant caregiver burden
This study aims to analyze the main neuropsychiatric symptoms, their correlation with each other, with comorbidities and time of day of greatest symptom intensity in patients with dementia due to probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
A cross-sectional, observational, explanatory study was conducted in which caregivers/relatives of elderly patients with dementia were interviewed
Summary
The sundown syndrome is a complex neurobehavioral disorder in patients with dementia associated with high financial cost and significant caregiver burden. It is a multifactorial phenomenon with unclear pathophysiology, characterized by the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in the evening period. SÍNDROME DO ENTARDECER EM PACIENTES PORTADORES DE DEMÊNCIA DA DOENÇA DE ALZHEIMER RESUMO. Objetivo: Analisar os principais sintomas neuropsiquiátricos, sua correlação entre si, com comorbidades e o horário do dia de maior intensidade destes em pacientes portadores de demência da doença de Alzheimer. Conclusão: A frequência dos sintomas neuropsiquiátricos são exacerbados ao entardecer em pacientes com doença de Alzheimer; principalmente os sintomas comportamentais com correlação positiva entre si. Palavras-chave: doença de Alzheimer, idoso, sintoma neuropsiquiátrico, síndrome do entardecer
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