Development of the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 8-items, a short version of the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 21-items, for the assessment of cognitive and daily functions.

AIM: The present study aimed to: (i) examine the reliability and validity of the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 21-items for classifying patients to the appropriate categories for glycemic targets in older patients; and (ii) develop a short version of the tool and examine its reliability and validity. METHODS: A total of 410 older individuals were recruited for this multicenter cross-sectional study. We classified them into three categories used for determining the glycemic target in older patients in Japan based on cognitive functions and activities of daily living. Exploratory factor analyses were used to select the eight items of the shorter version. The reliability and validity of the assessment tools were assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficients and receiver operating characteristic analyses, respectively. RESULTS: The Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 21-items had three latent factors: cognitive function, instrumental activities of daily living and basic activities of daily living. The Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 8-items was developed based on each factor load quantity and was confirmed to have a strong correlation with the original version (r = 0.965, P < 0.001). Both tools significantly discriminated older adults belonging to category I from those belonging to category II or III, and category III from category I or II. CONCLUSIONS: Both tools had sufficient internal consistency and validity to classify older patients into the categories for determining the glycemic target in this population based on cognitive and daily functions. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1458-1462.

Caregivers' education decreases depression symptoms and burden in caregivers of patients with dementia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether providing education to caregivers of patients with dementia decreases their depression symptoms and burden. METHODS: Eighty-three outpatients with dementia being treated at the Memory Clinic of Tokyo Medical University Hospital and their caregivers were enrolled. Forty-seven caregivers were enrolled in the caregivers' education (EDU) group and 36 were enrolled in the control (CTL) group. Caregivers were assessed for depression, burden, and quality of life (QoL). Patients were assessed for cognition, psychological symptoms, and QoL. Assessments were carried out at baseline and at 3 months (3M). Caregivers in the EDU group received lectures on symptoms and progression of dementia, management of symptoms, use of social resources etc. RESULTS: At 3M, prevalence of depression symptoms in the EDU group significantly decreased from 36% to 17%, whereas it significantly increased from 22% to 50% in the CTL group. Depression and burden were significantly improved at 3M in the EDU group, whereas they significantly worsened in the CTL group. Psychological symptoms showed a lower tendency at 3M for the EDU group. No significant changes in QoL of caregivers and patients were found in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Providing education to caregivers of patients with dementia improves their depression symptoms and sense of burden, and tends to improve the behaviour and psychological symptoms of dementia in the patients. Providing education to caregivers of dementia patients may hence result in beneficial effects for both the patients and their caregivers, and should be widely used in dementia care.

Geriatric problems correlated with cognitive decline using a screening test named "Dr. SUPERMAN" for comprehensive geriatric assessment in elderly inpatients.

AIM: We have recently developed and validated a screening test for comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). We investigated the prevalence of geriatric problems in elderly inpatients using CGA, and determined the relationship between geriatric problems and cognitive decline. METHODS: We enrolled consecutive elderly inpatients aged >65 years who were admitted to all of the hospital departments at Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, between July and December 2013. We investigated the prevalence of specific geriatric problems or situations in elderly inpatients using a screening test for CGA named "Dr. SUPERMAN." We examined 3969 elderly inpatients (2211 men and 1758 women; mean age 75.5 ± 6.7 years) using CGA. Inpatients were divided into three groups by age, namely, 65-74 years, 75-84 years and ≥85 years. Inpatients were divided into the two groups of "internal medicine" and "other departments." RESULTS: Geriatric problems were more frequently found in patients who were aged ≥85 years and admitted to "internal medicine" departments. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis found cognitive decline significantly correlated with ADL decline, age, poor medication adherence, upper and lower extremity function disorder, visual/auditory disorder, and urinary disorder. In particular, cognitive decline strongly correlated with a decline in activities of daily living. CONCLUSIONS: CGA should be considered for the treatment of elderly inpatients, particularly those with cognitive decline and admitted to "internal medicine" departments. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1252-1256.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment in elderly patients with dementia.

AIM: We have recently developed and validated a screening test for comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) named "Dr. SUPERMAN". We compared the results obtained by the CGA of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and determined the relationship between functional deficits and clinical characteristics in each type of dementia. METHODS: We used Dr. SUPERMAN to examine patients with AD (24 men and 53 women, mean age 83.0 ± 5.1 years), VaD (10 men and 12 women, mean age 80.4 ± 5.0 years) and DLB (28 men and 20 women, mean age 81.2 ± 5.5 years). RESULTS: Patients with DLB or VaD had functional deficits more frequently than those with AD in many fields. Significant correlations between functional impairments and clinical characteristics, such as age, sex and Mini-Mental State Examination scores, in the non-AD group (including DLB and VaD) were found in more extensive fields than those in the AD group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with dementia, particularly DLB, have several geriatric problems. Correlations between functional deficits and clinical characteristics differ between the AD group and the non-AD group. Non-AD patients of older age who are male and have advanced dementia are more likely have several functional deficits. In addition to age and severity of dementia, the type of dementia should be considered in the treatments and interventions of elderly patients with dementia.

[Leg edema detected on comprehensive geriatric assessment for elderly outpatients and its associated risk factors].

AIM: Leg edema, observed on comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) of 142 elderly outpatients with a variety of chronic diseases, was studied clinically to clarify its incidence and its associated risk factors. METHODS: The severity of pitting edema was assessed at 3 points, namely, the pretibial edge, medial malleolus, and the dorsum of the foot. On palpation, edema was graded as 0 to 3 for each point on one leg, the sum of which was used as the edema score. According to the edema score, subjects were divided into 3 groups; the moderate to severe (MS) group, the slight to mild (SM) group, and the group without pitting edema. The MS group was defined as having an edema score of 4 or more or edema of grade 2 or more, while the SM group was defined as having an edema score of 2 to 3 points without edema of grade 2 or more. The status of underlying disease, vascular risks, varicose veins, medications, daily activity, nutrition, total protein (TP), albumin, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were compared among the 3 groups. RESULTS: There were 36 subjects in the MS group and 19 subjects in the SM group. Diabetes, atrial fibrillation, varicose veins, and polypharmacy were more frequent in the MS group than in the control group. Sedentary life style, house-bound, and gait trouble were significantly more frequent in the MS and SM groups. There were no significant differences in the scores of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short Form among the groups, although both the body weight and calf circumference in the MS group were significantly greater than those in the group without pitting edema. Low serum TP, albumin and eGFR were seen in the MS group as well as high BNP levels. Multiple regression analysis revealed diabetes, varicose veins, sedentarism, and hypoalbuminemia as risk factors associated with leg edema (R(2)=0.365, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Leg edema was frequent in the elderly outpatients and was associated strongly with diabetes, varicose veins, sedentarism, and hypoalbuminemia. These findings suggest that advising against a sedentary life style could help the resolution of edema, and also indicates the clinical usefulness of CGA. Furthermore, leg edema should be seriously considered along with nutritional assessment because edema could influence various anthropometric parameters.

Frontal Assessment Battery and brain perfusion images in amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

AIM: Some patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may have impaired frontal lobe function. To assess the frontal lobe functions of subjects with MCI using the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and to identify the brain regions responsible for FAB performance. METHODS: Based on the FAB score cut-off of 12/13, 38 MCI subjects were divided into a high FAB group (n=20) and a low FAB group (n=18). They underwent single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and we analyzed the data by the 3-D stereotactic surface projection method. RESULTS: No significant differences in neuropsychological tests including memory, language and praxis, and depression scores were found between high and low FAB groups. Although both groups showed decreases in the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of the parietotemporal and frontal regions, the low FAB group demonstrated significant decreases in the rCBF of the left lateral frontal and right medial frontal regions compared with the high FAB group. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that some patients with amnestic MCI have frontal lobe dysfunction, assessed by the FAB. SPECT study suggests that the FAB mainly reflects the function of some regions of the left lateral frontal and right medial frontal areas.