Validation of a brief Multicultural Cognitive Examination (MCE) for evaluation of dementia.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to present the psychometric properties of a newly designed cognitive screening instrument, the Multicultural Cognitive Examination (MCE), and to compare it with the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) in a multicultural population. METHODS: The study was a Western European cross-sectional multicenter study. The MCE consists of four components evaluating separate cognitive functions and was constructed by adding measures of memory, verbal fluency, and visuospatial function to the RUDAS to create a scale with 0 to 100 points. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients with dementia and 123 cognitively intact participants were included across six memory clinics; 96 had minority ethnic background, and 93 had majority ethnic background. Moderate to large differences were present between patients with dementia and control participants on all MCE components. The MCE significantly improved diagnostic accuracy compared with using the RUDAS alone, with area under the curves of .918, .984, and .991 for the RUDAS, MCE composite, and demographically corrected composite scores, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of the MCE did not significantly differ between minority and majority ethnic groups. Across MCE subcomponents, patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia performed significantly poorer on the memory component compared with those with non-AD dementia. CONCLUSIONS: The MCE is a brief cross-cultural cognitive screening instrument that expands evaluation of the cognitive functions covered by the RUDAS, does not require any specialized training, and may be useful for classification of mild dementia or dementia subtypes.

Validation of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) in a multicultural sample across five Western European countries: diagnostic accuracy and normative data.

ABSTRACTBackground:With increasing cultural diversity and growing elderly immigrant populations in Western European countries, the availability of brief cognitive screening instruments adequate for assessment of dementia in people from diverse backgrounds becomes increasingly important. The aim of the present study was to investigate diagnostic accuracy of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) in a multicultural sample and to calculate normative data as a basis for demographic adjustment of RUDAS scores. METHODS: The study was a prospective international cross-sectional multi-center study. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to examine diagnostic accuracy. Regression analysis was used to assess the impact of demographic variables. RESULTS: Data was collected from 341 cognitively intact participants and 80 people with dementia with a wide age- and educational range. Of the 421 included participants, 239 (57%) had immigrant background. The RUDAS had high diagnostic accuracy with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.93. The optimal cut-off score was <25 (sensitivity 0.80, specificity 0.90). Regression analysis revealed that RUDAS scores were mainly affected by education and were unrelated to data collection site and immigrant status. Education-adjusted normative data was calculated as a basis for education adjustment of RUDAS scores. Applying education-adjusted RUDAS scores slightly but significantly improved diagnostic accuracy with an AUC of 0.95. CONCLUSION: We found the RUDAS to have excellent diagnostic properties in our multicultural sample. However, we suggest that RUDAS scores should be adjusted for education to increase diagnostic accuracy and that the choice of cut-off score should be considered based on the clinical context and expected base rate of dementia.

Validation of the Arabic Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (A-RUDAS) in elderly with mild and moderate dementia.

OBJECTIVES: Validated screening tests for dementia in Arabic are lacking. Given the low levels of education among elderly in the Middle East and North Africa region, the commonly used screening instrument, the Mini Mental State Examination, is not best suited. Alternatively, the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) was especially designed to minimize the effects of cultural learning and education. The aim of this study was to validate the RUDAS in the Arabic language (A-RUDAS), evaluate its ability to screen for mild and moderate dementia, and assess the effect of education, sex, age, depression, and recruitment site on its performance. METHODS: A-RUDAS was administered to 232 elderly aged ≥65 years recruited from the communities, community-based primary care clinics, and hospital-based specialist clinics. Of these, 136 had normal cognition, and 96 had dementia. Clinicians diagnosed dementia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition (DSM-IV) criteria. Interviewers, blind to the cognitive status of participants, administered A-RUDAS. The psychometric properties of A-RUDAS were examined for three cutoffs. RESULTS: At the cutoff of ≤22, A-RUDAS exhibited good sensitivity (83%) and specificity (85%) with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 83.95%. Adjusting for age, sex, education, depression, and recruitment site, A-RUDAS score demonstrated a high level of accuracy in screening for mild and moderate dementia against DSM-IV diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The A-RUDAS is proposed for dementia screening in clinical practice and in research in Arabic-speaking populations with an optimal cutoff of ≤22.

Performance of three cognitive screening tools in a sample of older New Zealanders.

BACKGROUND: With the ubiquitous Mini-Mental State Exam now under copyright, attention is turning to alternative cognitive screening tests. The aim of the present study was to investigate three common cognitive screening tools: the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS), and the recently revised Addenbrooke's Cognitive Assessment Version III (ACE-III). METHODS: The ACE-III, MoCA and RUDAS were administered in random order to a sample of 37 participants with diagnosed mild dementia and 47 comparison participants without dementia. The diagnostic accuracy of the three tests was assessed. RESULTS: All the tests showed good overall accuracy as assessed by area under the ROC Curve, 0.89 (95% CI = 0.80-0.95) for the ACE-III, 0.84 (0.75-0.91) for the MoCA, and 0.86 (0.77-0.93) for RUDAS. The three tests were strongly correlated: r(84) = 0.85 (0.78-0.90) between the ACE-III and MoCA, 0.70 (0.57-0.80) between the ACE-III and RUDAS; and 0.65 (0.50-0.76) between the MoCA and RUDAS. The data derived optimal cut-off points for were lower than the published recommendations for the ACE-III (optimal cut-point ≤76, sensitivity = 81.1%, specificity = 85.1%) and the MoCA (≤20, sensitivity = 78.4%, specificity = 83.0%), but similar for the RUDAS (≤22, sensitivity = 78.4%, specificity = 85.1%). CONCLUSIONS: All three tools discriminated well overall between cases of mild dementia and controls. To inform interpretation of these tests in clinical settings, it would be useful for future research to address more inclusive and potentially age-stratified local norms.

Multi-Disease Validation of the RUDAS for Cognitive Screening in Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and Multiple Sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: The Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) is a cognitive test with favorable diagnostic properties for detecting dementia and a low influence of education and cultural biases. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to validate the RUDAS in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: We enrolled one hundred and fifty participants (60 with AD, 30 with PD, 60 with MS, and 120 healthy controls (HC)). All clinical groups completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, RUDAS, and standard cognitive tests of each disorder: MMSE, SCOPA-COG, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Intergroup comparisons between clinical groups and HC and ROC curves were estimated. Random Forest algorithms were trained and validated to detect cognitive impairment using RUDAS and rank the most relevant scores. RESULTS: The RUDAS scores were lower in patients with AD, and patients with PD and MS showed cognitive impairment compared to healthy controls. Effect sizes were generally large. The total score was the most discriminative, followed by the memory score. Correlations with standardized neuropsychological tests were moderate to high. Random Forest algorithms obtained accuracies over 80-90% using the RUDAS for diagnosing AD and cognitive impairment associated with PD and MS. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the RUDAS is a valid test candidate for multi-disease cognitive screening tool in AD, PD, and MS.

Reliability and validity of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale for patients with traumatic brain injury.

Objective and accurate cognitive assessment scales are essential for guiding cognitive rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) for TBI and to verify the clinical application value. Fifty patients with TBI and 32 matched controls were assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and a newly developed Chinese version of RUDAS. These scales were then compared for internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, test‒retest reliability, content validity, construct validity, and diagnostic efficacy. Among the TBI group, the RUDAS demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.733), high inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICCs] of 0.910‒0.999), and high test‒retest reliability (total score ICC = 0.938). The correlation coefficients between RUDAS total score and individual subscores were all > 0.5 except for body orientation (r = 0.363), indicating generally good content validity. Total RUDAS scores were moderately correlated with both MMSE total scores (r = 0.701, p < 0.001) and MoCA total scores (r = 0.778, p < 0.001), indicating good construct validity. Receiving operating characteristic curve analysis yielded comparable areas under the curve for diagnostic efficacy (RUDAS, 0.844; MMSE, 0.769; MoCA, 0.824; all p > 0.05). A RUDAS score cutoff of 23.5 distinguished TBI patients from controls with 60% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Therefore, the RUDAS demonstrates both good reliability and validity for evaluating cognitive impairments in TBI patients.

Diagnosing dementia in the Arctic: translating tools and developing and validating an algorithm for assessment of impaired cognitive function in Greenland Inuit.

Background: The ageing Arctic populations raise the need for work-up of cognitive function that reflects language and cultural understandings.Aim: To translate and evaluate tools for work-up of cognitive impairment in Greenland.Methods: Step A: An expert panel was established to select tools suitable for the work-up of cognitive impairment at three different settings in Greenland. Step B: Tools were translated in a multiple-step process of independent translations with back-translation and adaptations by two independent translators and two Greenlandic physicians. Step C: a testing and validation process of the tools at three locations: the national hospital in the capital city; regional hospital in a town; health care centre in a small town.Results: Tools selected were Mini-Cog and RUDAS. Participants for testing of tools were 43 of 61 invited, of which six had dementia. RUDAS and Mini-Cog scores were associated (p < 0.001). The smoothed AUC was 0.87 (95%-CI, 0.65-0.95) for Mini-Cog and 0.90 (95%-CI, 0.76-0.97) for RUDAS. The sensitivity of Mini-Cog with a cut-off at ≤3 was 83.3%, and specificity was 62.2%. For RUDAS with a cut-off at ≤23, these were 100% and 75.7%, respectively.Conclusion: Requested tools have been translated for assessing cognitive function in the native Arctic setting. Small town residents with a Mini-Cog score of 3 or lower should be referred to a regional hospital for RUDAS, and a score of 23 or less should cause referral to the national hospital for a full work-up of cognitive function.

Performance of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale for the Detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in a Diverse Cohort of Illiterate Persons From Rural Communities in Peru.

Background: The accurate diagnosis of neurocognitive disorders in illiterate Peruvian populations is challenging, largely owing to scarcity of brief cognitive screening tools (BCST) validated in these diverse populations. The Peruvian version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS-PE) is a BCST that relies minimally on educational attainment and has shown good diagnostic accuracy in an urban illiterate population in Peru, yet its psychometric properties in illiterate populations in rural settings of the country have not been previously investigated. Objectives: To establish the diagnostic accuracy of the RUDAS-PE compared to expert clinical diagnosis using the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Scale in healthy and cognitively impaired illiterate persons living in two culturally and geographically distinct rural communities of Peru. Methods: A cross-sectional, population-based study of residents ≥ 50 years of age living in the Peruvian rural communities of Santa Clotilde and Chuquibambilla. A total of 129 subjects (76 from Santa Clotilde and 53 from Chuquibambilla) were included in this study. Gold standard diagnostic neurocognitive evaluation was based on expert neurological history and examination and administration of the CDR. Receiver operating characteristics, areas under the curve (AUC), and logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the performance of RUDAS-PE compared to expert gold standard diagnosis. Results: Compared to gold standard diagnosis, the RUDAS-PE was better at correctly discriminating between MCI and dementia than discriminating between MCI and controls in both sites (97.0% vs. 76.2% correct classification in Chuquibambilla; 90.0% vs. 64.7% in Santa Clotilde). In Chuquibambilla, the area under the curve (AUC) of the RUDAS to discriminate between dementia and MCI was 99.4% (optimal cutoff at <18), whereas between MCI and controls it was 82.8% (optimal cutoff at <22). In Santa Clotilde, the area under the curve (AUC) of the RUDAS to discriminate between dementia and MCI was 99.1% (optimal cutoff at <17), whereas between MCI and controls it was 75.5% (optimal cutoff at <21). Conclusions: The RUDAS-PE has acceptable psychometric properties and performed well in its ability to discriminate MCI and dementia in two cohorts of illiterate older adults from two distinct rural Peruvian communities.

Comparative analysis of rowland universal dementia assessment scale and mini-mental state examination in cognitive assessment of traumatic brain injury patients.

BACKGROUND: Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) has demonstrated usefulness in cognitive assessment. Studies supporting the use of RUDAS as an evaluation tool in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients remain limited. This study examined whether the Chinese version of RUDAS can be effectively applied to the cognitive assessment of TBI patients in China. OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Chinese version of RUDAS in the cognitive assessment of Chinese patients with TBI so as to provide reference for clinical use. METHODS: 86 inpatients with TBI in a hospital were selected from July 2019 to July 2020 and were enrolled as the TBI group, while another 40 healthy individuals matched with age, sex and education level were selected as the control group. All subjects were assessed by trained rehabilitation physicians with MMSE and RUDAS. RESULTS: (1) Compared with the control group, the scores of MMSE and RUDAS in the TBI group decreased significantly; (2) The results of MMSE and RUDAS in the TBI group were positively correlated (r = 0.611, P < 0.001); (3) Linear correlation suggested that age was negatively correlated with MMSE (r = -0.344, P = 0.001) and RUDAS (r = -0.407, P < 0.001), while education years were positively correlated with MMSE (r = 0.367, P = 0.001) and RUDAS (r = 0.375, P < 0.001). However, according to the multiple linear regression, the results of RUDAS were not affected by the years of education; (4) Receiver operating curve analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the areas under the curve between MMSE and RUDAS. The best cut-off values of MMSE and RUDAS were 27.5 and 24.5, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MMSE and RUDAS have similar diagnostic efficacy in evaluating cognitive impairment of patients with TBI. Since the Chinese version of RUDAS is not affected by the education level, it is more suitable for TBI patients in China.

Reliability and Validity of Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale in Turkish Population.

BACKGROUND: The aim is to validate Turkish version Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS). METHODS: One hundred forty patients (>65 years) were included. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition -V was used in all patients. Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale was applied for 2 days. Results were compared with Mini-Mental State Examination; reliability, validity, and statistical values were determined. RESULTS: Time validity was verified. Mini-mental state examination was correlated 45.3% in control and 73% in dementia group. Factor weights varied between 0.44 and 0.81; factor construct was verified as 6-item scoring. When 25 was cutoff point, sensitivity was 92.86% and specificity was 92.86%. Content validity index was found to be 100% by 7 specialists. Cronbach α (0.692) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation = 0.987) were determined. CONCLUSION: Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (Turkish) is validated and verified as reliable. Test could be applied for 5 minutes approximately; results are not affected by educational status, immigrant status, and language used; however, age and gender have significant effect on results.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Nepali version of the Rowland universal dementia assessment scale (RUDAS).

BACKGROUND: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a transitional state between normal cognition and dementia during ageing process. Early screening of elderly for MCI can help for early prevention and treatment of dementia. Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) is a brief cognitive assessment tool with excellent psychometric properties and is particularly useful in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations. The purpose of this study was to translate RUDAS into Nepali and to evaluate internal consistency of Nepali version of RUDAS. METHODS: RUDAS was translated to Nepali following recommended guidelines for translation and cross-cultural adaptation of patient reported measures. The pre-final Nepali version of RUDAS was tested on 30 elderly and appropriate changes were made by expert committee. The final Nepali version of RUDAS was developed and was administered on 100 elderly populations (mean age 67.70) to assess internal consistency. RESULTS: The rating of the participants upon their understanding of each 6 items of Nepali version of RUDAS on a 10-point Likert scale received a good score of more than 8 except 'cube drawing' which only received a mean score of 5.5. Additionally, only 8(27%) elderly have responded to the item 'cube drawing'. The preference test was done and cube drawing was replaced by stick design test. Nepali version of RUDAS showed acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha 0.7. CONCLUSION: The results of our study presents translated and cross-culturally adapted Nepali version of RUDAS that has been proved to be an appropriate assessment tool for screening cognitive impairment among elderly.