[Prevalence of dementia in institutionalized patients. The RESYDEM study]. / Prevalencia de demencia en pacientes institucionalizados: estudio RESYDEM.

INTRODUCTION: To determine the prevalence of dementia in nursing homes in Spain and to analyze the associated factors in an elderly population in the institutional setting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study of 852 residents of public, private and state-assisted nursing homes throughout Spain. Dementia was diagnosed according to the DSM-IV-TR clinical criteria. The Hughes Clinical Dementia Rating scale was used to measure global impairment or the global severity of dementia. Sociodemographic, clinical and neuropsychological variables, together with the pharmacological treatments prescribed to the participants, were recorded. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of dementia was 61.7% (95% CI 58.4-65.1) and that of Alzheimer's disease was 16.9% (95% CI 14.3-19.5). Vascular dementia was found in 7.3% (95% CI 5.5-9.1). Female sex was independently associated with a greater frequency of dementia. The prevalence of dementia increased with age. Only 18.8% (95% CI 15.4-22.3) of the patients diagnosed with dementia received specific treatment for the disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Two-thirds of the elderly persons living in nursing homes in Spain have dementia. Undertreatment of this disease is common. Increased awareness among health care professionals is important for the early diagnosis and appropriate management of dementia, which would represent a radical change in the approach to this disease.

Prevalencia de demencia en pacientes institucionalizados: estudio RESYDEM / Prevalence of dementia in institutionalized patients. The RESYDEM study

Introduccióndeterminar la prevalencia de demencia en residencias de ancianos de España y analizar los factores asociados a ella.Material y métodosestudio transversal, observacional y multicéntrico. Residencias pertenecientes a todas las Comunidades Autónomas del Estado español de titularidad pública, privada y concertada. Se incluyó a un total de 852 ancianos institucionalizados, participantes en el estudio RESYDEM.El diagnóstico de demencia se estableció sobre la base de los criterios clínicos del DSM-IV-TR. Como medida del deterioro global o valoración global de la gravedad de la demencia se utilizó la escala Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) de Hughes. Se recogieron variables sobre características clínicas y sociodemográficas, y los tratamientos farmacológicos de los participantes.Resultadosla prevalencia global de demencia hallada en este estudio fue del 61,7% (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 58,4–65,1). La enfermedad de Alzheimer se presentó con una prevalencia del 16,9% (IC del 95%, 14,3–19,5). La demencia vascular supone el 7,3% (IC del 95%, 5,5–9,1). El género femenino se asoció de forma independiente con una mayor frecuencia de demencia. Se evidenció una mayor prevalencia de esta afección a medida que aumentaba la edad. Sólo el 18,8% (IC del 95%, 15,4–22,3) de los pacientes con diagnóstico de demencia reciben tratamiento específico para ésta.Conclusionesdos terceras partes de las personas mayores que viven en residencias de ancianos en España presentan demencia. Existe una elevada tasa de infratratamiento de este proceso. Es importante la sensibilización de los profesionales sanitarios para la identificación precoz y para conocer la existencia de tratamientos específicos para la demencia, lo cual debe suponer un cambio radical en el abordaje de la enfermedad (AU)

IntroductionTo determine the prevalence of dementia in nursing homes in Spain and to analyze the associated factors in an elderly population in the institutional setting.Material and methodsWe performed a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study of 852 residents of public, private and state-assisted nursing homes throughout Spain. Dementia was diagnosed according to the DSM-IV-TR clinical criteria. The Hughes Clinical Dementia Rating scale was used to measure global impairment or the global severity of dementia. Sociodemographic, clinical and neuropsychological variables, together with the pharmacological treatments prescribed to the participants, were recorded.ResultsThe overall prevalence of dementia was 61.7% (95% CI 58.4–65.1) and that of Alzheimer's disease was 16.9% (95% CI 14.3–19.5). Vascular dementia was found in 7.3% (95% CI 5.5–9.1). Female sex was independently associated with a greater frequency of dementia. The prevalence of dementia increased with age. Only 18.8% (95% CI 15.4–22.3) of the patients diagnosed with dementia received specific treatment for the disorder.ConclusionsTwo-thirds of the elderly persons living in nursing homes in Spain have dementia. Undertreatment of this disease is common. Increased awareness among health care professionals is important for the early diagnosis and appropriate management of dementia, which would represent a radical change in the approach to this disease (AU)