Long-Term Follow-Up of Cognitive Function and Activities of Daily Living in Older People: A Feasibility Study in the PROSPER Cohort

Background: The Prospective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER) considered the benefits of pravastatin therapy and provided insights into cognitive decline/disability in older people but follow-up was short. Methods: We performed a feasibility study of 300 PROSPER recruits, 7 years after the trial finished. The subject’s general practitioner provided basic follow-up data. Telephone contact with participants established cognition/functional level. Relatives of those unsuitable for contact were asked to complete postal questionnaires. Results: Of 300 participants we established 132 were alive, 135 dead and 33 lost to follow-up. Of 132 survivors data were obtained for 78 participants by telephone, 10 participants with GP diagnosis of dementia, and 3 participants whose relative provided information. Therefore cognitive function was determined in 69% of survivors and functional ability in 61%. Conclusions: It was feasible to perform long-term follow-up of cognition/functional ability in the majority of survivors from a large randomised controlled trial.