Comorbid Psychosocial Symptoms and Quality of Life in Patients With Dementia

Quality of life in Alzheimer's disease: different factors associated with complementary ratings by patients and family carers

“…The observed association between QoL and depression is in line with previous studies (Sands et al, 2004;Selwood et al, 2005;Snow et al, 2005;Hoe et al, 2006;Vogel et al, 2006;Conde-Sala et al, 2009), as is the association with anti-dementia agents (Birks, 2006;Hoe et al, 2007). As previously described by Hoe et al (2007), the link between self-reported QoL and the use of cholinesterase inhibitors may have been due to reverse causality, and this is an issue that requires further investigation.…”

“…Secondly, this study had a reasonable sample size (N = 80 AD patients and their carers), but multiple testing may have contributed to produce some chance associations. We would argue, however, that the consistency of our observations with those of other studies suggests this would be an unlikely explanation for our findings (Garre-Olmo et al, 2002;Thorgrimsen et al, 2003;Sands et al, 2004;Snow et al, 2005;Hoe et al, 2006;Conde-Sala et al, 2009; Table 2. Univariate analyses of independent associations between QoL ratings and exposure factors Schiffczyk et al, 2010).…”

“…So far, a number of potential explanatory factors have been suggested (Karlawish et al, 2001;Garre-Olmo et al, 2002;Logsdon et al, 2002;Thorgrimsen et al, 2003;Sands et al, 2004;Selwood et al, 2005;Snow et al, 2005;Hoe et al, 2006;Schiffczyk et al, 2010;Vogel et al, 2006;Banerjee et al, 2009;Conde-Sala et al, 2009;Hurt et al, 2010), including the type of relationship between patient and carer, functional autonomy, cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms of the patient, caregiver burden, caregiver depression, patients' anosognosia, and gradual adjustment to their goals and expectations. However, most studies examining factors associated with QoL in dementia have focused on a limited number of predictors, an isolated feature, or specific population groups, such as patients with dementia living in residential care facilities.…”

Caregiving burden and quality of life of pneumoconiosis caregivers in Hong Kong

“…41 Similar to our results, an association between caregivers' depressive symptoms and QOL was reported in both dementia 42 and cerebral palsy. 43 Snow et al 44 found that a high level of depressive symptoms among patients with dementia was associated with a poor QOL for their caregivers.…”

Effects of Ginkgo biloba Extract EGb 761® on neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia: findings from a randomised controlled trial

“…Neuropsychiatric symptoms are tightly related to distress suffered by caregivers of dementia patients and have a significant impact on the patients' quality of life as well as on the costs of care [6][7][8]. Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and related caregiver distress are strong determinants for nursing home placement [9][10][11].…”