Prevalence of "organic brain syndrome" in a Southern European population in two different time periods: The ZARADEMP Project

Abstract

Background: Comparative studies of dementia in different time periods are quite limited in the international literature, but might be useful to test environmental hypotheses. The aim of this study is to compare the prevalence of "organic brain syndrome", as a measure of dementia, in the elderly living in the same community in two different time periods and using the same methods. Methods: Representative samples of the elderly in the Zaragoza Study or ZARADEMP 0 (n= 1,080), completed the past decade, and now in Wave I of the ZARADEMP Project or ZARADEMP I (n= 4,803) were interviewed. The Geriatric Mental State (GMS) was the main case-finding instrument and the results were analysed using the AGECAT diagnostic package to generate diagnoses. Results: Adjusted, total prevalence of "organic brain syndrome" in individuals aged 65 years and older has not varied from the previous decade. It was 8.4% in ZARADEMP I , and 7.4% in ZARADEMP 0 (prevalence ratio, PR = 0.83; CI 0.65-1.07). Adjusted preva-PREVALENCE OF "ORGANIC BRAIN SYNDROME" IN A SOUTHERN EUROPEAN... 113 lence among men was lower in ZARADEMP I (3.6%) when compared to ZARADEMP 0 (5.5%), although the differences do not reach statistically significance (PR= 0.65; CI 0.41-1.05). However, in support of the working hypothesis, the differences were more marked, and we consider they reach statistically significant proportions in the age group 80-84 years. Conclusions: The prevalence of "organic brain syndrome" has not increased from the previous decade. On the contrary, the prevalence tends to be lower in men, and the differences reach stastistical significance in the age group 80-84 years. New analysis using diagnostic criteria of dementia in the same sample are required to confirm these findings.

Prevalence of dementia in a southern European population in two different time periods: the ZARADEMP Project

“…The hypothesis was related to our previous observation in ZARADEMP‐0 of a relative increase in the prevalence in men when compared with women, especially in these age groups (8). It was also supported in our last report documenting that the prevalence of GMS‐ agecat ‘organic syndrome’ among men in ZARADEMP‐I was lower than in ZARADEMP‐0, particularly in the age group 80–84 years (11). However, GMS‐ agecat ‘organic’ scores are strictly based on cognitive deficit and more rigorous criteria are needed to diagnose dementia, including the impairment in social or occupational functioning due to the cognitive deficit.…”

“…We are now involved in the ZARADEMP Project, a longitudinal, three‐wave epidemiological study to document eventually the incidence rate of dementia, and to complete a case–control study of risk factors in incident cases (10). In wave I or ZARADEMP‐I, the baseline, cross‐sectional study, we have found that the prevalence of Geriatric Mental State (GMS) ‘organic syndrome’ among men was lower than in ZARADEMP‐0, particularly in the age group 80–84 years, the between‐study differences being considered significant (11). However, ‘organic syndrome’ is strictly related to cognitive deficit, and more stringent criteria are needed to diagnose dementia.…”

Concerns of the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology Regarding Care Received by Patients With Dementia

“…In general, the profile of the Spanish patient with dementia is similar to that observed in other European countries 2,3 . Dementia is typically a disease associated with aging, and the increase in the life expectancy of populations leads to an increase in the prevalence of these pathologies and in the social and economic consequences.…”

Estimulación cognitiva y deterioro cognitivo

“…Para planificar una atención individualizada eficaz en los centros de mayores, no sólo es fundamental conocer el estado cognitivo del residente sino también, trabajar de forma sistemática y diaria la EC. De una parte, en lo referente a la evaluación del estado cognitivo del mayor, según Facala et al (2015), los aspectos clave de la valoración cognitiva se basan en el uso de los test cognitivos y neuropsicológicos, siendo el Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) de Lobo et al (1999) instrumento de aplicación breve y el Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) de Reisberg et al, (1982) instrumento de evaluación global de demencia los más utilizados. Los autores destacan un uso limitado de los instrumentos de evaluación disponibles frente a la diversidad de pruebas válidas y la falta de instrumentos más complejos.…”