Global Deterioration Scale Scores Research Articles

Comprehensive, continuous, and compulsory monitoring of frailty in elderly.

The increasing elderly population makes frailty an increasing concern in society with vulnerability to stress and functional decline. Unrecognised comorbidities are common among the elderly due to lack of mention by the patients. Physicians should be equipped with effective interviewing skills along with the use of screening tools to assess any impairments in activities of daily living, cognition and signs of depression. To measure the degree of independence or dependence using scales and stratify patients based on Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) so as to recommend it as a routinely usable tool. In total, 191 elderly subjects above the age of 65 years were recruited for geriatric assessment. Tools that assess performance in daily living activities and cognition were used. The prevalidated CFS was used to score frailty to stratify patients into frail and non-frail groups, and the parameters were compared. Mean age of the study population was 69.54 years with 53.4% males and 46.6% females. Mean Katz index and mean Lawton score were >5. The mean Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) score was 1.5, and the mean clinical frailty score was 3.55. Significantly high number of male individuals were found in the frailty group. Hypertension was significantly higher in the frail group. The mean Katz scores were significantly lower, and mean GDS scores were significantly higher in the frailty group. Multivariable logistic regression has shown gender to be an important determinant of frailty with an odds ratio of 0.05 (CI-0.01-0.20). The higher Lawton score and GDS scores were significantly associated with frailty with an odds ratio of 0.33 (CI: 0.21-0.52) and 2.62 (CI: 1.14-6.02), respectively. Men are more frail than women and co-morbidities like hypertension and coronary artery disease contribute to frailty with cognitive decline and decreased autonomy. A comprehensive assessment to identify frailty will provide a holistic view of well being among the elderly.

A Case Report of Quadriparesis due to Subarachnoid Hemorrhage with Intraventricular Hemorrhage due to Cerebral Aneurysm Rupture Improved after Treated with Korean Medicine Treatment Including <italic>Tonggyuhwalhyeol-tang-gagambang</italic>

This study reported the case of a patient with quadriparesis due to cerebral aneurysm rupture, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) treated with Korean medicine. The patient was treated with acupuncture, herbal medicine (<i>mainly Tonggyuhwalhyeol-tang-gagam</i>), Western medicine, moxibustion, cupping, and rehabilitative therapy for 75 days, and improved after administration. After treatment, the Manual Muscle Test grade improved from 4/4-/3+/3 to 4+/4+/4+/4+, the Korean version of the modified Barthel Index score improved from 9 to 100, the National Institute of Health’s Stroke Scale score improved from 2 to 0, the Global Deterioration Scale score improved from 3 to 2, and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination score improved from 22 to 30. During administration, the patient did not show seizures, shock, or loss of consciousness, and the vital signs were stable in the normal range. We followed up the brain computed tomography findings for 2 times and found that there was no definite evidence of intracranial hemorrhage or IVH or re-rupture or rebleeding after Korean medicine treatment. This study suggests that Korean medicine treatment with blood-invigorating and stasis-removing herbs could be a safe and effective intervention option for improving quadriparesis due to cerebral aneurysm rupture and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Diagnostic accuracy and predictive validity of combined use of Fototest and Mini-Cog in cognitive impairment

IntroductionThe Fototest and Mini-Cog include all the domains that are necessary in a cognitive assessment. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the combined use of both instruments for detecting cognitive impairment. MethodsWe performed a phase III diagnostic accuracy study with 2 independent samples: STUDY, which included 448 participants randomly allocated to 2 datasets (BASE [80%] and TEST [20%]); and EXTERNAL, which included 61 participants. The index test was consecutive administration of the Fototest and Mini-Cog, and the reference test was formal cognitive assessment. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of two-step vs consecutive application of the tests and simple (Comb-Simple), logistic regression (Comb-LR), and random decision tree (Comb-RDT) models of their combined use for detecting cognitive impairment (Global Deterioration Scale score ≥ 3). We performed an exploratory analysis of the BASE dataset, selecting criteria that maximise accuracy; a pre-specified analysis was used to evaluate the selected criteria in the TEST and EXTERNAL datasets. ResultsThe diagnostic accuracy (95% confidence interval) of the combined models in the BASE dataset (Comb-Simple: 88.3 [88.5−91.4]; Comb-LR: 91.6 [88.2−94.3]; Comb-RDT 95.2 [92.5−97.2]) was significantly higher than the individual values observed for the Mini-Cog and Fototest (81.6 [77.1−85.4] and 84.9 [80.8−88.5], respectively). These results were replicated in the TEST (Comb-Simple: 88.9; Comb-LR: 95.6; Comb-RDT: 92.2) and EXTERNAL datasets (Comb-Simple: 91.8; Comb-LR: 90.2; Comb-RDT: 88.5). Two-step application had the same diagnostic accuracy than consecutive application but required less time (mean [SD] of 197.3 s [56.7] vs 233.9 s [45.2]; P < .0001). ConclusionsCombined application of the Fototest and Mini-Cog takes less than 4 minutes and improves the diagnostic accuracy of both instruments. Two-step application is more efficient as it requires less time while maintaining the same diagnostic accuracy.

Prognostic value of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer disease

We performed a retrospective analysis of the patients assessed at our memory unit for whom Alzheimer disease (AD) cerebrospinal fluid biomarker results were available. We selected patients diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment due to AD (National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer’s Association clinical criteria), confirmed neuropsychological deficit, a Global Deterioration Scale score of 3, and an abnormal profile of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. Of the 588 cases reviewed, 110 met the inclusion criteria. During follow-up, 50 cases (45.45%) progressed to dementia due to AD. Baseline levels of total and phosphorylated tau were higher in the group of patients that progressed to dementia than in those remaining with mild cognitive impairment. After adjusting for age, sex, history of hypertension, diabetes, and educational level, a 10% increase in total tau protein values was associated with a 7.60% increase in the risk of progression to dementia (hazard ratio: 2.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.28–3.84]; P = .004). Among patients with mild cognitive impairment due to AD and abnormal cerebrospinal fluid biomarker profiles, progressively higher concentrations of total or phosphorylated tau were associated with increased risk of progression to dementia.

Quantitative pupillary light reflex assessment for prognosis of carbon monoxide poisoning.

A non-reactive pupil in standard pupillary light reflex (sPLR) is regarded as a factor predicting neurological sequelae at 1-month after carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. An automated pupillometer is used in the intensive care unit to quantitatively assess PLR. Quantitative PLR (qPLR) was superior to sPLR using penlight for prognosis of various neurological diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze whether quantitative pupillary variables (neurological Pupil index [NPi] and qPLR) are superior to sPLR in predicting 1-month neurocognitive sequelae after acute CO poisoning. We performed a prospective observational study of consecutive patients with acute CO poisoning admitted to an emergency department (ED) between August 2019 and December 2020 in a single academic medical center. sPLR and pupillometer examinations (qPLR and NPi) were performed by emergency physicians at the ED on hospital days 0-2. The lowest values among those recorded within 24 h and during the total measurement period were considered the 24-h and total lowest values, respectively. Global Deterioration Scale scores were measured at 1 month as an outcome and were dichotomized into favorable (1-4) or poor (5-7) outcomes. We analyzed the data of 104 adult patients with acute CO poisoning. qPLR was significantly higher in the favorable outcome group than in the poor outcome group 24-h and total lowest values (21.2% vs. 15.0%, p = 0.006 and 21.0% vs. 14.8%, p = 0.006). qPLR <18% had fair predictive power for poor neurocognitive outcomes [area under the curve (AUC), 0.70; 95% confidence interval (0.60-0.78)]. Among the patients with decreased mental status (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤12), the power of NPi and qPLR increased [AUC, 0.72 and AUC, 0.80]. NPi < 1 and qPLR <18% showed sensitivity (9.5% vs. 76.2%) and specificity (98.8% vs. 67.5%) for the prediction of poor outcomes. qPLR was significantly superior to sPLR in predicting poor neurocognitive outcomes at 1 month after CO poisoning (p = 0.007). qPLR and NPi were superior to sPLR in terms of predicting poor neurocognitive outcomes. qPLR and NPi measured from hospital days 0-2 may be valuable in predicting neurocognitive outcome.

Serum phosphate is not an early predictor of neurocognitive outcomes in acute carbon monoxide poisoning patients.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning causes brain injury by hypoxia and inflammatory mechanisms. Hypoxic conditions result in increased serum phosphate concentration due to loss of polarity of the cell membrane, changes in membrane fluidity, and consequent destruction of phospholipids in the cell membrane. This study aimed to evaluate whether serum phosphate measured in the emergency department (ED) can serve as an early predictor of neurocognitive sequelae 1 month after acute CO poisoning. We included patients ≥16 years with acute CO poisoning from a cohort who were treated at a single tertiary academic hospital in Wonju, Korea, between January 2006 and May 2021. Neurocognitive outcome was assessed using the Global Deterioration Scale score; patients were classified into favorable (1-3 points) or poor (4-7 points) neurocognitive outcome groups based on this score. These two groups were compared before and after propensity score matching. Data from 888 patients were analyzed. Seven hundred seventy-one patients (86.8%) were assigned to the favorable outcome group and 117 patients (13.2%) to the poor outcome group. Patients with a poor outcome had a higher mean serum phosphate level than those with a favorable outcome (3.9 mg/dL vs. 3.5 mg/dL, P=0.001). Propensity score matching yielded 85 matched patient pairs. After matching, serum phosphate level in the ED was not significantly different between the favorable and poor outcome groups (3.9 vs. 3.7 mg/dL, P=0.349). Serum phosphate level measured in the ED did not predict poor neurocognitive outcomes 1 month after CO poisoning.

Relationship Between Calcium Channel Blockers Therapy and Cognitive Function Improvement in Cognitive Decline Patients with Cerebrovascular Disease.

Amlodipine belongs to a class of calcium channel blockers that relax blood vessels to allow easier flow of blood. Higher blood pressure (BP) is associated with cerebrovascular disease and is an important contributor to cognitive decline and dementia. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 24 weeks of S-amlodipine besylate therapy on cognitive function in patients with hypertension and cerebrovascular disease. The data were obtained from a study of post-market surveillance of S-amlodipine besylate. A total of 545 subjects (mean age 67 ± 9.68 years) with hypertension and ischemic cerebrovascular disease were enrolled. Patients with a baseline Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score above 26 were assigned to the cognitive normal (CN) (n=294) group, and those with MMSE score less than 26 were in the cognitive decline (CD) (n=251) group. After 24 weeks of treatment with S-amlodipine besylate 5 mg, MMSE and Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) were evaluated again. Changes in MMSE were compared in the target BP reached (TBPR) and non-reached (NTBPR) groups and for CN and CD groups. Treatment with 5 mg of S-amlodipine besylate for 24 weeks improved MMSE and GDS scores (p<0.001). The CD group showed improvement in MMSE score regardless of whether target BP was obtained (TBPR: p<0.001, NTBPR: p<0.01). However, the CN classification was not significant for either TBPR or NTBPR groups. S-amlodipine besylate improved cognition of the CD group with hypertension and cerebrovascular disease regardless of obtaining target BP.

Prognostic value of the myeloperoxidase index for early prediction of neurologic outcome in acute carbon monoxide poisoning.

ObjectiveCarbon monoxide (CO) activates intravascular neutrophils through platelet-neutrophil aggregates, which cause neutrophil degranulation. This process causes the release of myeloperoxidase (MPO), proteases, and reactive oxygen species. The MPO index (MPXI) is a newly reported inflammatory marker that reflects the MPO level within neutrophils. The MPXI in conditions associated with neutrophil activation depends on the net effect of azurophil degranulation. This study aimed to determine whether the MPXI can predict neurocognitive prognosis 1 month after acute CO poisoning.MethodsWe included patients aged ≥16 years with acute CO poisoning from a cohort at a single tertiary academic hospital in Wonju, Korea, between January 2010 and May 2021. Data from 699 patients were analyzed. The neurocognitive outcome was assessed using Global Deterioration Scale scores and classified as favorable (score, 1–3 points) or poor (score, 4–7 points). The MPXI was determined within 1 hour of arrival to the emergency department.ResultsAmong the 699 patients, 52 (7.4%) showed poor outcomes. The median MPXI of the patients in the poor outcome group was higher than that of the favorable outcome group (0.85 vs. 0.2, P=0.189). However, a significant difference was not found between the favorable and poor outcome groups, and MPXI was not a significant variable in multivariate logistic regression.ConclusionThe MPXI evaluated in the emergency department did not differ based on neurocognitive outcome at 1 month after acute CO poisoning.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms and subsyndromes in patients with different stages of dementia in primary care follow-up (NeDEM project): a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe objective was to describe the prevalence and intensity of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) isolated and grouped into subsyndromes in patients with dementia in primary care (PC) to analyse their distribution based on stages of dementia and the relationship between them and the intensity of symptoms.MethodsDesign: Cross-sectional study. Setting and population: Patients with dementia, not institutionalized, in a PC follow-up. Variables: Sociodemographic and clinical variables. Assessment instruments: The frequency and intensity of NPSs were measured with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and the stages of dementia with the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS). Statistical analysis: The number of NPSs per patient, the mean NPI value, and the prevalence and intensity of NPSs isolated and grouped into subsyndromes were calculated, as were their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The analyses were performed on an overall basis and by GDS scores. To analyse the association between the NPI and GDS scores, multivariate analysis was performed with a generalized linear model.ResultsOverall, 98.4% (95% CI 94.5;99.8) of the patients presented some type of NPS, with an average of five symptoms per patient. The most frequent symptoms were apathy [69.8% (95% CI 61.1;77.5)], agitation [55.8% (95% CI 46.8;64.5)] and irritability [48.8% (95% CI 39.9;57.8)]. The more intense NPSs were apathy [NPI 3.2 (95% CI 2.5;3.8)] and agitation [NPI 3.2 (95% CI 2.5;4.0)]. For subsyndromes, hyperactivity predominated [86.0% (95% CI 78.8;91.5)], followed by apathy [77.5% (95% CI 69.3;84.4]). By phase of dementia, the most common isolated symptom was apathy (60.7–75.0%). Affective symptoms and irritability predominated in the initial stages, and psychotic symptoms predominated in advanced stages. The mean NPI score was 24.9 (95% CI 21.5;28.4) and increased from 15.6 (95% CI 8.2;23.1) for GDS 3 to 28.9 (95% CI 12.6;45.1) for GDS 7. Patients with in the most advanced stages of dementia presented an NPI score 7.6 (95% CI 6.8;8.3) points higher than the score for mild dementia with adjustment for the other variables.ConclusionsA high prevalence of NPSs was found among patients with dementia treated in PC. Symptoms change and increase in intensity as the disease progresses. Scales such as the NPI allow these symptoms to be identified, which may facilitate more stage-appropriate management.

Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Initiation Time in Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) is recommended for symptomatic patients within 24-hour postcarbon monoxide poisoning. Previous studies have reported significantly better outcomes with treatment administered within 6 hours after carbon monoxide poisoning. Thus, we aimed to compare the neurocognitive outcomes according to HBO2 delay intervals. Retrospective analysis of data from our prospectively collected carbon monoxide poisoning registry. A single academic medical center in Wonju, Republic of Korea. We analyzed the data of 706 patients older than 16 years treated with HBO2 with propensity score matching. Based on carbon monoxide exposure-to-HBO2 delay intervals, we classified patients into the early (control, less than or equal to 6 hr) and late (case, 6-24 hr) groups. The late group was further divided into Case-1 (6-12 hr) and Case-2 (12-24 hr) groups. We also compared mild (nonintubated) and severe (intubated) groups. HBO2. After propensity score matching, Global Deterioration Scale scores at 6 months postcarbon monoxide exposure showed significantly fewer poor outcome patients in the early than in the late group (p = 0.027). The early group had significantly fewer patients with poor outcomes than the Case-2 group (p = 0.035) at 1 month and than the Case-1 (p = 0.033) and Case-2 (p = 0.004) groups at 6 months. There were significantly more patients with poor prognoses at 6 months as treatment interval increased (p = 0.008). In the mild cohort, the early group had significantly fewer patients with poor 6-month outcomes than the late group (p = 0.033). Patients who received HBO2 within 6 hours of carbon monoxide exposure had a better 6-month neurocognitive prognosis than those treated within 6-24 hours. An increase in the interval to treatment led to an increase in poor outcomes.

Utilidad diagnóstica y validez predictiva del uso conjunto de Fototest y Mini-Cog en deterioro cognitivo

IntroductionThe Fototest and Mini-Cog include all the domains that are necessary in a cognitive assessment. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the combined use of both instruments for detecting cognitive impairment. MethodsWe performed a phase iii diagnostic accuracy study with 2 independent samples: STUDY, which included 448 participants randomly allocated to 2 datasets (BASE [80%] and TEST [20%]); and EXTERNAL, which included 61 participants. The index test was consecutive administration of the Fototest and Mini-Cog, and the reference test was formal cognitive assessment. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of two-step vs. consecutive application of the tests and simple (Comb-Simple), logistic regression (Comb-LR), and random decision tree (Comb-RDT) models of their combined use for detecting cognitive impairment (Global Deterioration Scale score ≥ 3). We performed an exploratory analysis of the BASE dataset, selecting criteria that maximise accuracy; a pre-specified analysis was used to evaluate the selected criteria in the TEST and EXTERNAL datasets. ResultsThe diagnostic accuracy (95% confidence interval) of the combined models in the BASE dataset (Comb-Simple: 88.3 [88.5-91.4]; Comb-LR: 91.6 [88.2-94.3]; Comb-RDT 95.2 [92.5-97.2]) was significantly higher than the individual values observed for the Mini-Cog and Fototest (81.6 [77.1-85.4] and 84.9 [80.8-88.5], respectively). These results were replicated in the TEST (Comb-Simple: 88.9; Comb-LR: 95.6; Comb-RDT: 92.2) and EXTERNAL datasets (Comb-Simple: 91.8; Comb-LR: 90.2; Comb-RDT: 88.5). Two-step application had the same diagnostic accuracy than consecutive application but required less time (mean [SD] of 197.3 s [56.7] vs. 233.9 s [45.2]; P<.0001). ConclusionsCombined application of the Fototest and Mini-Cog takes less than 4minutes and improves the diagnostic accuracy of both instruments. Two-step application is more efficient as it requires less time while maintaining the same diagnostic accuracy.

The 4-DSD: A New Tool to Assess Delirium Superimposed on Moderate to Severe Dementia

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to create, standardize, and validate a new instrument, named 4-DSD, and determine its diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of delirium in subjects with moderate to severe dementia. DesignMulticenter cross-sectional observational study. Setting and ParticipantsOlder patients consecutively admitted to acute and rehabilitation hospital wards. MeasuresThe DSM-5 was used as the reference standard delirium assessment. The presence and severity of dementia was defined using the AD8 and the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS). The 4-DSD is a 4-item tool that ranges from 0 to 12. Item 1 measures alertness, item 2 altered function, item 3 attention, and item 4 acute change or fluctuation in mental status. ResultsA total of 134 patients were included in the study. Most of the patients were enrolled in acute hospital wards (60%), with 40% in rehabilitation settings. A minority of the patients were categorized with moderate dementia, with a GDS score of 5 (4%). Most of the patients were in the moderate-severe stage with a GDS score ≤6 (77%); 19% were classed as severe, with a GDS score of 7. A 4-DSD cutoff score ≥5 had a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 80% with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 67% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 89%. In the subgroup with moderate-severe dementia (n = 108), the sensitivity and the specificity were 79% and 82%, respectively, with a PPV and NPV of 62% and 92%. In the subgroup with severe dementia (n = 26) the sensitivity was 82% and the specificity 56% with a PPV of 78% and a NPV of 63%. Conclusions and ImplicationsThe availability of a specific tool to detect delirium in patients with moderate-severe dementia has important clinical and research implications, allowing all health care providers to improve their ability to identify it.

Efficacy and safety of GV1001 in patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer\u2019s disease already receiving donepezil: a phase 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial

BackgroundOur previous studies showed that GV1001 has various protective effects against β-amyloid and other stressors. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that GV1001 might have beneficial effects in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).MethodsA phase 2, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, 6-month randomized clinical trial was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of subcutaneously administered GV1001. Between September 2017 and September 2019, 13 centers in South Korea recruited participants. A total of 106 patients were screened, and 96 patients with moderate-to-severe AD were randomized 1:1:1 to the placebo (group 1, n = 31), GV1001 0.56 mg (group 2, n = 33), and 1.12 mg (group 3, n = 32) groups. GV1001 was administered every week for 4 weeks (4 times), followed by every 2 weeks until week 24 (10 times). The primary endpoint was the change in the Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) score from baseline to week 24. The key secondary efficacy endpoints were the change in the Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Box (CDR-SOB), Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Mini-Mental State Examination, and Global Deterioration Scale scores. The safety endpoints were also assessed based on adverse events, laboratory test results, vital signs, and other observations related to safety.ResultsGroup 3 showed less decrease in the SIB score at 12 and 24 weeks compared with group 1 (P < 0.05). These were not significantly observed in group 2. Among the secondary endpoints, only the NPI score showed significantly better improvement in group 2 than in group 3 at week 12; however, there were no other significant differences between the groups. Although the ADCS-ADL and CDR-SOB scores showed a pattern similar to SIB scores, a statistically significant result was not found. Adverse events were similar across all three groups.ConclusionsThe results indicate that GV1001 1.12 mg met the primary endpoint of a statistically significant difference. GV1001 was well tolerated without safety concerns. This study warrants a larger clinical trial.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03184467. Registered on June 12, 2017.

Objective sleep data as predictors of cognitive decline in dementia with Lewy Bodies and Parkinson's disease

IntroductionParkinson's disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) prognosis depends on cognitive function evolution. Sleep disorders, as objectivated by polysomnography (PSG), are intimately connected with PD and DLB pathophysiology, but have seldomly been used to predict cognitive decline. Methods20 DLB and 49 PD patients underwent one-night in-lab video-PSG. Sleep variables were defined, including REM sleep motor events, Tonic and phasic REM sleep muscular tone and RBD diagnosis. Cognitive state (assessed with the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) was collected from case files for 6 months intervals, for a maximum period of 3.5 years or until death/drop-out.). The relation between PSG data at baseline and variation of GDS scores over time was tested with mixed linear regression analysis. ResultsGDS scores were higher in DLB, than in PD. We confirmed significant cognitive decline in both disorders, but no significant differences in progression between them. There were no significant interactions between PSG data and GDS variation for the entire group and DLB separately. In PD patients, there was a significant interaction between RBD diagnosis and tonic excessive muscular tone and GDS increase. ConclusionOur data suggests that PSG data can be useful in predicting cognitive decline in PD but not in DLB patients. In PD patients, an RBD diagnosis is predictive of cognitive deterioration, confirming the notion that this non-motor symptom relates to a malignant sub-type. Tonic excessive muscular activity, but not other RBD features, had predictive value in this group, pointing to a specific relation with the disease pathophysiology.

Suicide risk within 1 year of dementia diagnosis in older adults: a nationwide retrospective cohort study

BackgroundAlthough severe dementia could protect against suicide death by decreasing a person’s capacity to implement a suicide plan, patients with early dementia may have better cognition, giving them more sustained insight into their disease and better enabling them to carry out a suicide plan. This study investigated suicide risk in older adults within 1 year of receiving a diagnosis of dementia.MethodsThis study used National Health Insurance Service Senior Cohort data and included 36 541 older adults with newly diagnosed dementia (a Mini-Mental State Examination score ≤ 26 and a Clinical Dementia Rating score ≥ 1 or a Global Deterioration Scale score ≥ 3), including Alzheimer disease, vascular dementia and other/unspecified dementia, from 2004 to 2012. We selected older adults without dementia through 1:1 propensity-score matching using sex, age, comorbidities and index year, with follow-up throughout 2013. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) of suicide deaths within 1 year after diagnosis using a time-dependent Cox proportional hazards model.ResultsWe verified 46 suicide deaths during the first year after a dementia diagnosis. Older adults with dementia had an increased risk of suicide death compared to those without dementia (AHR 2.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49–4.44). Older adults with Alzheimer disease (AHR 2.50; 95% CI 1.41–4.44) or other/unspecified dementia (AHR 4.32; 95% CI 2.04–9.15) had an increased risk of suicide death compared to those without dementia. Patients with dementia but without other mental disorders (AHR 1.96; 95% CI 1.02–3.77) and patients with dementia and other mental disorders (AHR 3.22; 95% CI 1.78–5.83) had an increased risk of suicide death compared to patients without dementia. Patients with dementia and schizophrenia (AHR 8.73; 95% CI 2.57–29.71), mood disorders (AHR 2.84; 95% CI 1.23–6.53) or anxiety or somatoform disorders (AHR 3.53; 95% CI 1.73–7.21), respectively, had an increased risk of suicide death compared to patients with those conditions but without dementia.LimitationsThis study examined only elderly patients in South Korea, a population with a substantially higher suicide rate than the global population. Caution must be exercised when generalizing the results to populations with dissimilar backgrounds.ConclusionPatients with dementia had an increased risk of suicide death within 1 year after diagnosis compared to those without dementia.

Valor pronóstico de los biomarcadores licuorales en el deterioro cognitivo leve debido a enfermedad de Alzheimer

We performed a retrospective analysis of the patients assessed at our memory unit for whom Alzheimer disease (AD) cerebrospinal fluid biomarker results were available. We selected patients diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment due to AD (National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association clinical criteria), confirmed neuropsychological deficit, a Global Deterioration Scale score of 3, and an abnormal profile of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. Of the 588 cases reviewed, 110 met the inclusion criteria. During follow-up, 50 cases (45.45%) progressed to dementia due to AD. Baseline levels of total and phosphorylated tau were higher in the group of patients that progressed to dementia than in those remaining with mild cognitive impairment. After adjusting for age, sex, history of hypertension, diabetes, and educational level, a 10% increase in total tau protein values was associated with a 7.60% increase in the risk of progression to dementia (hazard ratio: 2.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-3.84]; P = .004). Among patients with mild cognitive impairment due to AD and abnormal cerebrospinal fluid biomarker profiles, progressively higher concentrations of total or phosphorylated tau were associated with increased risk of progression to dementia.

The Usefulness and Clinical Characteristics of Antidepressant Use for Stroke Patients with Rehabilitation Program: An Exploratory Analysis.

ObjectiveThere has been a lack of data regarding the usefulness and clinical characteristic between patients-treated with and without antidepressants (Pw/Pwo ADs).MethodsOne hundred and eighty inpatients were recruited and observed for a 6-month. The depressive, cognitive, daily activity, and motor symptoms were evaluated at baseline and tracked at month 6, with the use of rating scales including Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), modified Rankin Scale (MRS), modified Barthel Index (MBI), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS).ResultsAmong 178 patients, 84 (47.2%) were treated with ADs. PwAD had numerically or significantly higher depressive cognitive, and motor symptoms along with daily activity impairment (8.3 point higher in BDI score, p < 0.001; 3.6 point lower in MMSE, p = 0.003; 0.8 point higher in GDS score, p = nonsignificant; 8.2 point lower in BBS score, p = 0.053, and 0.4 point higher in MBI score, p = nonsignificant) than PwoAD. Psychiatric consultation was also significantly higher in PwAD than in PwoAD (p < 0.001). The numbers need to treat for good clinical outcomes between PwAD and PwoAD were 5.8, 6.0, and 7.5, respectively, by MRS, MBI, and BBS scores.ConclusionOur findings suggest the potential utility of AD treatment and different clinical parameters between patients-treated with and without ADs. Adequately-powered and well-controlled further studies are mandatory to confirm and fully elaborate such association.

Discontinuation of cholinesterase inhibitor treatment in institutionalised patients with advanced dementia

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of discontinuation of treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) on cognitive, behavioural and functional outcomes in patients with severe dementia.MethodsA prospective observational study in which the prescribing...

Serum Tau Proteins as Potential Biomarkers for the Assessment of Alzheimer's Disease Progression.

Total tau (t-tau) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) protein elevations in cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) are well-established hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), while the associations of serum t-tau and p-tau levels with AD have been inconsistent across studies. To identify more accessible non-invasive AD biomarkers, we measured serum tau proteins and associations with cognitive function in age-matched controls (AMC, n = 26), mild cognitive impairment group (MCI, n = 30), and mild-AD group (n = 20) according to the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), and Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) scores. Serum t-tau, but not p-tau, was significantly higher in the mild-AD group than AMC subjects (p < 0.05), and there were significant correlations of serum t-tau with MMSE and GDS scores. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis distinguished mild-AD from AMC subjects with moderate sensitivity and specificity (AUC = 0.675). We speculated that tau proteins in neuronal cell-derived exosomes (NEX) isolated from serum would be more strongly associated with brain tau levels and disease characteristics, as these exosomes can penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Indeed, ELISA and Western blotting indicated that both NEX t-tau and p-tau (S202) were significantly higher in the mild-AD group compared to AMC (p < 0.05) and MCI groups (p < 0.01). In contrast, serum amyloid β (Aβ1–42) was lower in the mild-AD group compared to MCI groups (p < 0.001). During the 4-year follow-up, NEX t-tau and p-tau (S202) levels were correlated with the changes in GDS and MMSE scores. In JNPL3 transgenic (Tg) mice expressing a human tau mutation, t-tau and p-tau expression levels in NEX increased with neuropathological progression, and NEX tau was correlated with tau in brain tissue exosomes (tEX), suggesting that tau proteins reach the circulation via exosomes. Taken together, our data suggest that serum tau proteins, especially NEX tau proteins, are useful biomarkers for monitoring AD progression.

Effects of Adjunctive Therapeutic Hypothermia Combined With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Acute Severe Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.

To determine the effects of adjunctive therapeutic hypothermia, by comparing hyperbaric oxygen therapy versus hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with therapeutic hypothermia in acute severe carbon monoxide poisoning. Retrospective analysis of data from our prospectively collected carbon monoxide poisoning registry. A single academic medical center in Wonju, Republic of Korea. Patients with acute severe carbon monoxide poisoning older than 18 years. Acute severe carbon monoxide poisoning was defined as mental status showing response to painful stimulus or unresponsive at the emergency department, and a continuation of this depressed mental status even after the first hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Patients were classified into the no-therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic hypothermia groups. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was performed up to twice within 24 hours after emergency department arrival, whereas therapeutic hypothermia was performed at a body temperature goal of 33°C for 24 hours using an endovascular cooling device after the first hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy versus hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with therapeutic hypothermia. We investigated the difference in the Global Deterioration Scale score at 1 and 6 months after carbon monoxide exposure, between the no-therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic hypothermia groups. Global Deterioration Scale scores were classified as follows: 1-3 points (favorable neurocognitive outcome) and 4-7 points (poor neurocognitive outcome). During the study period, 37 patients were treated for acute severe carbon monoxide poisoning, with 16 and 21 patients in the no-therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic hypothermia groups, respectively. The therapeutic hypothermia group demonstrated significantly higher number of patients with favorable outcomes (p = 0.008) at 6 months after carbon monoxide exposure and better improvement of the 6-month Global Deterioration Scale score than the 1-month score (p = 0.006). Our data suggest that in acute severe carbon monoxide poisoning, patients who were treated using therapeutic hypothermia combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy had significantly more favorable neurocognitive outcomes at 6 months after carbon monoxide exposure than those treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy alone.