Validation of Cognitive and Functional Assessment Instruments in Vascular Dementia

Abstract

Vascular dementia is a common and potentially reversible type of dementing illness. Simple, yet valid, assessment instruments are needed to quantitate the severity of cognitive and functional impairment in vascular dementia patients seen in consultation or studied in therapeutic trails. Among sixty-three patients with known ischemic cerebrovascular disease, we found thirteen who satisfied research criteria for vascular dementia, nineteen who were "borderline" and thirty-one who were not demented. We administered the Cognitive Capacity Screening Examination and the Functional Activities Questionnaire to these patients and found both tests capable of distinguishing demented from nondemented groups with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. This battery of assessment instruments was especially helpful in evaluating patients who fell into the "borderline" category. Both tests can be easily administered at the bedside or during routine office visits.

Test Accuracy of Cognitive Screening Tests for Diagnosis of Dementia and Multidomain Cognitive Impairment in Stroke

“…21,23,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]35,36,[40][41][42][44][45][46]48,50 There was considerable heterogeneity in study population: setting and test strategy. Twenty-three different tests were described, commonest MMSE (n=16 articles) and MoCA (n=8; Tables 1-2; online-only Data Supplement III).…”

“…We tabulated summary descriptors for studies using clinical diagnosis reference standard (n=11 articles) 22,24,34,[37][38][39]43,47,49,51,52 and those using detailed neuropsychological assessment (n=21 ; Tables 1-2). 21,23,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]35,36,[40][41][42][44][45][46]48,50 There was considerable heterogeneity in study population: setting and test strategy. Twenty-three different tests were described, commonest MMSE (n=16 articles) and MoCA (n=8; Tables 1-2; online-only Data Supplement III).…”

The American Heart Association Stroke Outcome Classification

“…Like other cognitive measures that include tests of arithmetic and language, MMSE scores are highly correlated with educational level. 20,21 The Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination (NCSE) 22 is another method for assessing severity of dementia. The NCSE measures severity of impairment in multiple domains, including consciousness, orientation, memory, language, and reasoning.…”

Validación de un test breve para el diagnóstico de capacidad funcional en adultos mayores en Chile

“…La mayoría de las investigaciones sólo han validado la escala para población institucionalizada o con problemas de salud [13][14][15] . La escala aquí propuesta, en cambio, sirve para discriminar en población adulta mayor general que contesta encuestas, se correlaciona con variables que se suponen miden pérdida de funcionalidad (salud) y con variables con que debería estar asociada (bienestar, autoeficacia) 16,17 .…”