Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination Score Research Articles

Association Between Hospital Admission Risk Profile Score and Skilled Nursing or Acute Rehabilitation Facility Discharges in Hospitalized Older Adults.

To evaluate whether the Hospital Admission Risk Profile (HARP) score is associated with skilled nursing or acute rehabilitation facility discharge after an acute hospitalization. Retrospective cohort study. Inpatient unit of a rural academic medical center. Hospitalized individuals aged 70 and older from October 1, 2013 to June 1, 2014. Participant age at the time of admission, modified Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination score, and self-reported instrumental activities of daily living 2 weeks before admission were used to calculate HARP score. The primary predictor was HARP score, and the primary outcome was discharge disposition (home, facility, deceased). Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the association between HARP score and discharge disposition, adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities, and length of stay. Four hundred twenty-eight individuals admitted from home were screened and their HARP scores were categorized as low (n = 162, 37.8%), intermediate (n = 157, 36.7%), or high (n = 109, 25.5%). Participants with high HARP scores were significantly more likely to be discharged to a facility (55%) than those with low HARP scores (20%) (P < .001). After adjustment, participants with high HARP scores were more than four times as likely as those with low scores to be discharged to a facility (odds ratio = 4.58, 95% confidence interval = 2.42-8.66). In a population of older hospitalized adults, HARP score (using readily available admission information) identifies individuals at greater risk of skilled nursing or acute rehabilitation facility discharge. Early identification for potential facility discharges may allow for targeted interventions to prevent functional decline, improve informed shared decision-making about post-acute care needs, and expedite discharge planning.

Disruptive Behavior as a Predictor in Alzheimer Disease

Disruptive behavior is common in Alzheimer disease (AD). There are conflicting reports regarding its ability to predict cognitive decline, functional decline, institutionalization, and mortality. To examine whether the presence of disruptive behavior has predictive value for important outcomes in AD. Using the Columbia University Scale for Psychopathology in Alzheimer Disease (administered every 6 months, for a total of 3438 visit-assessments and an average of 6.9 per patient), the presence of disruptive behavior (wandering, verbal outbursts, physical threats/violence, agitation/restlessness, and sundowning) was extracted and examined as a time-dependent predictor in Cox models. The models controlled for the recruitment cohort, recruitment center, informant status, sex, age, education, a comorbidity index, baseline cognitive and functional performance, and neuroleptic use. Five university-based AD centers in the United States and Europe (Predictors Study). Four hundred ninety-seven patients with early-stage AD (mean Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination score, 20 of 30 at entry) who were recruited and who underwent semiannual follow-up for as long as 14 (mean, 4.4) years. Cognitive (Columbia Mini-Mental State Examination score, < or = 20 of 57 [approximate Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination score, < or = 10 of 30]) and functional (Blessed Dementia Rating Scale score, parts I and II, > or = 10) ratings, institutionalization equivalent index, and death. At least 1 disruptive behavioral symptom was noted in 48% of patients at baseline and in 83% at any evaluation. Their presence was associated with increased risks of cognitive decline (hazard ratio 1.45 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-2.03]), functional decline (1.66 [95% CI, 1.17-2.36]), and institutionalization (1.47 [95% CI, 1.10-1.97]). Sundowning was associated with faster cognitive decline, wandering with faster functional decline and institutionalization, and agitation/restlessness with faster cognitive and functional decline. There was no association between disruptive behavior and mortality (hazard ratio, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.71-1.25]). Disruptive behavior is very common in AD and predicts cognitive decline, functional decline, and institutionalization but not mortality.

The Association Between Psychotropic Medication Use and Functional Outcome of Elderly Hip-Fracture Patients Undergoing Rehabilitation

Shiri-Sharvit O, Arad M, Mizrahi EH, Fleissig Y, Adunsky A. The association between psychotropic medication use and functional outcome of elderly hip fracture patients undergoing rehabilitation. Objective To study the interrelations between use of psychotropic medications and functional outcomes of elderly hip fracture patients undergoing rehabilitation. Design A retrospective parallel group study. Setting A geriatric rehabilitation department in a large urban academic hospital. Participants Records of 432 elderly people with extracapsular or intracapsular hip fractures were initially screened between 1999 and 2003. Of these, 263 subjects were eligible for the study. Their average age was 82.2±6.9 years. The average length of stay was 29.0±10.2 days. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Absolute (uncorrected) functional gains measured by the FIM instrument and relative (corrected) FIM gains calculated according to the Montebello equation. Results Of the 263 patients included in the final analysis, 153 (62.4%) were treated with psychotropics. The 2 groups were similar, yet psychotropic drug users were more likely to be women ( P=.028) and to suffer intracapsular fractures ( P=.027). Similar improvements in absolute FIM scores were observed during rehabilitation in both groups. However, both total and motor relative functional gains were lower in psychotropic drug users (.33±0.1 vs .39±0.1, P=.021) than in nonusers (.31±0.1 vs .42±0.2, P=.039). Regression analysis showed that female sex ( P=.029), higher Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination score ( P<.001), and independent prefracture function ( P<.01) were associated with higher motor FIM gains. Use of minor tranquillizers was only slightly—and adversely—associated with lower FIM gains ( r=−2.68, P=.047), whereas the use of antidepressants and antipsychotics had no effect on these parameters. Conclusions Use of psychotropic medications does not appear to be associated with functional outcome of elderly hip fracture patients undergoing rehabilitation.

Reduced posterior cingulate binding of I-123 iodo-dexetimide to muscarinic receptors in mild Alzheimer’s disease

Early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) allows timely pharmacological and social interventions. Alteration in muscarinic receptor binding was evaluated with I-123 iodo-dexetimide (IDEX) in early clinical stage AD. We studied 11 mild AD patients (Folstein Minimental State Examination Score 24-27, Clinical Dementia Rating 0.5-1.0) and 10 age- and sex-matched normal subjects with SPECT brain imaging after injection of 185 MBq of IDEX and 750 MBq of 99mTc-HMPAO. Using a voxel based approach (Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM99) software), a deficit in IDEX binding was found in the posterior cingulate cortex in the mild AD group with p (corrected)=0.06 for the most significant voxel and p=0.0003 for the voxel cluster. Region of interest (ROI) analysis confirmed the SPM99 results. SPM99 found no deficit in the HMPAO scans, suggesting that neither atrophy nor hypoperfusion were major factors in the reduced IDEX binding. This study provides further evidence of the involvement of the posterior cingulate region and of muscarinic receptors in early Alzheimer's disease and suggests that this change may precede an alteration in blood flow.

Importance of baseline mini-mental state examination as a prognostic factor for patients with low-grade glioma

Purpose The outcome and cognitive performance data collected in a prospective, intergroup clinical trial were analyzed to assess the prognostic importance of the baseline (before radiotherapy) Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score in patients with low-grade glioma. Methods and materials The patients studied were 203 adults with a supratentorial low-grade glioma randomly assigned to low-dose (50.4 Gy in 28 fractions) or high-dose (64.8 Gy in 36 fractions) localized radiotherapy. Folstein MMSE scores and neurologic function scores at baseline in combination with multiple other baseline variables were analyzed. The median follow-up was 7.4 years for the 101 patients still alive. Results Patients ( n = 36) with an abnormal baseline MMSE score (≤26) had a worse 5-year progression-free survival rate (27% vs. 60%; p <0.001) and overall survival rate (31% vs. 76%; p <0.001) compared with those with a normal score. On multivariate analysis, the baseline MMSE score was a statistically significant predictor of survival. Other factors associated with overall survival were age, tumor size, and tumor histologic type. Conclusion The presence of an abnormal baseline MMSE score was a strong predictor of poorer progression-free and overall survival for patients with a low-grade glioma. The baseline MMSE should be considered in future prognostic scoring systems.

Family History of Dementia and Current Depression in Nondemented Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Since it has been postulated that mood disturbance in nondemented older adults may represent a prodromal feature of dementia for a subgroup of patients, it would be expected that patients with these symptoms would evidence a greater prevalence of family history of dementia. In a sample of 3225 community-dwelling cognitively intact elderly recruited from a free memory-screening program, we found that current depression was more common in participants with a positive versus a negative family history of dementia in first-degree relatives (17% versus 11%; Fisher's Exact Test, P < .0001). This relationship remained significant after controlling for age, education, gender, ethnicity, and Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination score (OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.2-1.9, Wald X2 = 15.5, P < .001). The results suggest that symptoms of depression may herald the onset of an incipient dementia syndrome in a subset of geriatric patients. Alternatively, the results may be indicative of familial aggregation of dementia and depression.

Nortriptyline plus interpersonal psychotherapy was effective in major depression in older adults

Reynolds CF 3rd, Frank E, Perel JM, et al. Nortriptyline and interpersonal psychotherapy as maintenance therapies for recurrent major depression. A randomized controlled trial in patients older than 59 years....

Alzheimer and Vascular Dementias and Driving

To characterize on-the-road, behind-the-wheel driving abilities and related laboratory performances of subjects with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia. Prospective, experimental study involving two mild dementia and three age and health control groups. Road test reliability and validity were assessed. Greater western Los Angeles. Subjects were enrolled from the community by referral and from the Veterans Affairs dementia and diabetes clinics. Eighty-seven driving subjects were enrolled; 83 completed the study. A sample of eligible dementia clinic subjects consisting of 15 mild AD patients met National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association probable AD criteria, while 12 met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition and Hachinski diagnostic criteria for multi-infarct dementia (vascular dementia). Clinic control subjects consisted of 15 age-matched patients with diabetes and without a history of stroke or dementia. Community controls consisted of 26 healthy, age-matched, older subjects (> 60 years) and 16 young subjects (20 to 35 years). Drive score from the Sepulveda (Calif) road test and laboratory measures of attention, perception, and memory. The drive scores in the mild AD group (mean, 22.1; SD, 3.8) and in the vascular dementia group (mean, 24.0; SD, 7.8) differed significantly (P < .001 studentized range test) from the drive scores in the diabetic control group (mean, 31.5; SD, 3.9), the older control group (mean, 32.6; SD, 2.8), and the young control group (mean, 33.6; SD, 3.2). Drive score among the three control groups did not vary significantly. Short-term memory (Sternberg), visual tracking, and Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination scores correlated best with drive score, with a cumulative R2 of 0.68. Drive score and number of collisions and moving violations per 1000 miles driven were negatively correlated (r = -0.38; P < .02). Based on this study, type and degree of cognitive impairment are better predictors of driving skills than age or medical diagnosis per se. Specific testing protocols for drivers with potential cognitive impairment may detect unsafe drivers more effectively than using age or medical diagnosis alone as criteria for license restriction or revocation.

Exercise in Continence: These researchers found that nursing home patients can gain bladder control with pelvic muscle exercises

Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) allows timely pharmacological and social interventions. Alteration in muscarinic receptor binding was evaluated with I-123 iodo-dexetimide (IDEX) in early clinical stage AD. We studied 11 mild AD patients (Folstein Minimental State Examination Score 24–27, Clinical Dementia Rating 0.5–1.0) and 10 age- and sex-matched normal subjects with SPECT brain imaging after injection of 185 MBq of IDEX and 750 MBq of 99mTc-HMPAO. Using a voxel based approach (Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM99) software), a deficit in IDEX binding was found in the posterior cingulate cortex in the mild AD group with p (corrected) = 0.06 for the most significant voxel and p = 0.0003 for the voxel cluster. Region of interest (ROI) analysis confirmed the SPM99 results. SPM99 found no deficit in the HMPAO scans, suggesting that neither atrophy nor hypoperfusion were major factors in the reduced IDEX binding. This study provides further evidence of the involvement of the posterior cingulate region and of muscarinic receptors in early Alzheimer’s disease and suggests that this change may precede an alteration in blood flow.