Psychometric characteristics of the full and short versions of the IQCODE-BR among low income elderly persons with a low educational level

Abstract

Objective: To study the psychometric characteristics of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE-BR) using a sample of low income elderly persons with a low educational level, and compare the full and short versions of the questionnaire. Method: A cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of a population with a low educational level was performed. The IQCODE-BR was applied to the informants of 87 elderly persons (60-90 years old), who were triaged by psychiatrists and neurologists for the diagnosis of depression, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Results: The median age of the sample was 72 and the majority were women (72.4%). A total of 31 (35.6%) were illiterate, 30 (34.5%) had dementia, 21 (24.1%) suffered from depression, 20 (23.0%) had MCI, and 16 (18.4%) were diagnosed with none of these conditions. The median IQCODE-BR was higher in the groups with depression and MCI than the normal group, and was highest of all in the group with dementia. The full and reduced versions of the IQCODE-BR had similar levels of accuracy. Conclusion: In this sample the IQCODE-BR was shown to be an effective tool for tracking MCI and dementia. The use of the short version with cutoff points of 3.22 for MCI excluding a diagnosis of depression, and 3.48 for dementia irrespective of the presence of symptoms of depression, is suggested.

Dendritic and Spine Heterogeneity of von Economo Neurons in the Human Cingulate Cortex

“…Subjects were reportedly healthy neurologically and psychiatrically, had no previous neurosurgical interventions, and were rated screened for cognitive decline using the "Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly" (IQCODE; Neto et al, 2017). This is a validated interview procedure for which cutoff point scores of ≥ 3.27 or 3.48 are considered indicative of dementia in the Brazilian population (Sanchez and Lourenço, 2009;Carrabba et al, 2015). Only cases below these edge values were studied (Table 1).…”

Uso do Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly em ambiente hospitalar em idosos: uma revisão integrativa

“…Na literatura há registros de vários estudos mostrando que o IQCODE é amplamente efetivo como teste de triagem complementar para demência e é usado em vários contextos culturais, incluindo português, inglês, chinês, libanês, entre outros 8,9,10,11,12 . Em um estudo, a combinação de testes cognitivos como o MEEM aplicado junto com o IQCODE forneceu melhor detecção de demência quando os indivíduos tinham pouco tempo de estudos 13 .…”

“…. Em um deles21 , foi demonstrada uma correlação interessante quando comparado o nível de ApoE sanguíneo em pacientes com delirium e pacientes com DA, tendo em vista que a ApoE é o principal fator de risco genético para o surgimento da DA de início tardio e neurodegeneração21,32 .Nos artigos incluídos nesta revisão, percebeu-se que o IQCODE foi utilizado no contexto de variadas patologias como delirium, demência, situações de pré e pós-cirurgias, no pós-evento de acidente vascular cerebral e até mesmo na depressão, que foi semelhante ao trabalho desenvolvido na cidade de Porto Alegre, porém, em nível ambulatorial12 . O IQ-Outros instrumentos objetivos e mais difundidos têm seus resultados influenciados pelas situações acima citadas, onde a realidade é confrontada por outras particularidades.…”