Cognitive complaints compared to performance on a mental state screening test in elderly outpatients
نویسندگان
چکیده
Memory and other cognitive complaints are common in the elderly population. However, the clinical meaning of these complaints remains controversial. Objectives The goal of this study was to investigate the association between cognitive complaints and performance on a mental state screening test in elderly patients attended for the first time at the Neurogeriatric and Dementia (NGA) Outpatient Clinic within a major University hospital. Methods Two hundred patients referred to the NGA Clinic during 2005, 2006 and 2007 first semesters participated in the study. The variables of interest were:(a) source of and reason for referral;(b) whether or not they had previously been evaluated with the screening test (Mini Mental State Exam - MMSE) by their physicians before referral to our specialized clinic;(c) cognitive complaints; and(d) performance on the screening test (MMSE) at the NGA Clinic. Results The main reason for referral to the NGA clinic was cognitive complaints 63% (N=126), where only 5% (N=10) of the referred patients had been previously evaluated by the cognitive screening test (MMSE or equivalent). Of the 135 patients who presented cognitive complaints during the first appointment, 52 (38%) presented MMSE scores below the education-adjusted cut-off. No association between cognitive complaint and performance on the MMSE during the first evaluation at the NGA Clinic was observed (χ2=3.04, p=0.1). Conclusions Although cognitive complaints among elders should not be disregarded, the mental state screening evaluation is crucial for the detection of clinically significant cognitive impairment.
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