ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The communication of the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) may represent important emotional distress for the patient and his/her caregiver. This present work aimed to investigate if the disclosure of the diagnosis generates any emotional or psychological impact on the patient or his/her caregiver. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-three consecutive AD patients (NINCDS/ADRDA criteria) and their main caregivers were evaluated before and after the diagnosis disclosure. Patients were evaluated with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and caregivers were evaluated with Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the stress subscale from the NPI-Q and Zarit's burden interview. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients wanted to receive the diagnosis. AD diagnosis disclosure did not produce any significant clinical or emotional changes in the patient. On the contrary, the caregivers were significantly affected by AD diagnosis disclosure. This was reflected on the BDI scores, that increased from 6.9+/-6.5 to 9.7+/-7.5 (p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: AD diagnosis may be safely disclosed to the patient. However, the caregivers should be carefully followed-up since depressive symptoms are common after diagnosis disclosure.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Caregivers/psychology , Communication , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Alzheimer Disease/psychology , Depression , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Introducción. La comunicación del diagnóstico de la enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) puede representar un importante impacto emocional para el paciente y su cuidador. El objetivo de este estudio es investigar si la transmisión de dicho diagnóstico genera algún impacto emocional o psicológicoen el paciente o el cuidador.Pacientes y métodos. Treinta y tres pacientes consecutivos con EA (criterios NINCDS/ADRDA) y sus cuidadoresprincipales fueron evaluados prospectivamente antes y despuésde recibir el diagnóstico. Los pacientes fueron evaluados con el Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) y la Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) y los cuidadores fueron evaluados a través del Becks Depression Inventory(BDI), el State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), la subescala deestrés del cuidador del NPI y la entrevista sobre la carga delcuidador Zarit. Resultados. Veintiséis pacientes quisieron recibir eldiagnóstico. La comunicación del diagnóstico de EA no produjocambios clínicos ni emocionales significativos en los pacientes. Por el contrario, los cuidadores al conocer eldiagnostico de EA de su familiar presentaron sintomatologíadepresiva leve, que se reflejó en los cambios de la escala BDI, que de 6,9±6,5 aumentó a 9,7±7,5 (p=0,003).Conclusiones. La comunicación del diagnóstico de EA resulta segura para los pacientes. Sin embargo, los cuidadores deberían ser también valorados, dado que la sintomatologíadepresiva es común después de la comunicación deldiagnóstico (AU)
Alzheimers disease Introduction. The communication of the diagnosisof Alzheimers disease (AD) may represent important emotional distress for the patient and his/her caregiver.This present work aimed to investigate if the disclosure of the diagnosis generates any emotional or psychological impact on the patient or his/her caregiver. Patients and methods. Thirty-three consecutive ADpatients (NINCDS/ADRDA criteria) and their main caregivers were evaluated before and after the diagnosis disclosure.Patients were evaluated with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) and the GeriatricDepression Scale (GDS) and caregivers were evaluated with Becks Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait AnxietyInventory (STAI), the stress subscale from the NPI-Q and Zarits burden interview. Results. A total of 26 patients wanted to receive the diagnosis. AD diagnosis disclosure did not produce anysignificant clinical or emotional changes in the patient. On the contrary, the caregivers were significantly affectedby AD diagnosis disclosure. This was reflected on the BDI scores, that increased from 6.9±6.5 to 9.7±7.5 (p=0.003). Conclusions. AD diagnosis may be safely disclosedto the patient. However, the caregivers should be carefully followed-up since depressive symptoms are commonafter diagnosis disclosure (AU)
