The 2008–2012 French Alzheimer Plan: Description of the National Alzheimer Information System

Abstract

In France, one of the aims of the current national Alzheimer's disease plan is to collect data from all memory centers (memory units, memory resource and research centers, independent neurologists) throughout the country. Here we describe the French Alzheimer Information System and present a 'snapshot' of the data collected throughout the country during the first year of operation. We analyzed all data transmitted by memory centers between January 2010 and December 2010. Each participating center is required to transmit information on patients to the French National Alzheimer dataBank (BNA). This involves completing a computer file containing 31 variables corresponding to a limited data set on AD (CIMA: Corpus minimum d'information Alzheimer). In 2010, the BNA received data from 320 memory centers relating to 199,113 consultations involving 118,776 patients. An analysis of the data shows that the initial MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination) mean score for patients in France was 16.8 points for Alzheimer's disease, 25.7 points for mild cognitive impairment, and 18.8 points for 'related disorders related disorders. The BNA will provide longitudinal data that can be used to assess the needs of individual local health areas and size specialized care provision in each regional health scheme. By contributing to the BNA, the memory centers enhance their clinical activity and help to advance knowledge in epidemiology and medical research in the important field of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

The French National Alzheimer Database: A Fast Growing Database for Researchers and Clinicians

“…This represents an increase in participation since 2010, the year in which the reported participation rate was 75% [8]. The number of participating independent specialists also increased during the same period but remains small.…”

“…Every participating center or independent specialist has its own online access used to forward data and to query the national database for anonymous data. A detailed description of the BNA has already been published [8]. …”

“…One specific part of this plan resulted in the creation of the French National Alzheimer Database (BNA) in 2009 aiming to provide epidemiological data as well as activity indicators. The information collected in the BNA consists of a limited set of data concerning demographic, diagnostic and clinical details defined by national consensus [8]. The number of variables is restricted to facilitate and enhance the participation in this national database.…”

The Mini Mental State Examination at the Time of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Diagnosis, According to Age, Education, Gender and Place of Residence: A Cross-Sectional Study among the French National Alzheimer Database

“…Secondly, factors associated with late Alzheimer's disease and related disorders diagnosis were studied. The French National Alzheimer database (BNA) [5], created within the Third National Plan for “Alzheimer's disease and related disorders” provided us with the opportunity to perform this study among a large sample of patients.…”

At the End of a Very Hard Day, People Find Some Reason to Believe

“…Each center has four major missions: 1) diagnosis, follow up, and treatment of patients with AD and related disorders; 2) teaching; 3) direction of the memory center network [1]; and 4) research.…”