Relation between cognitive impairment and early death in the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
To study the association between cognitive impairment and early death in elderly patients living in the community.


METHODS
Case-control study of 410 patients assessed by the mental status questionnaire and followed up after three years.


METHODS
A general practice in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, with 14,000 patients.


METHODS
205 Patients aged greater than or equal to 65 with cognitive impairment according to the mental status questionnaire (score less than or equal to 8) and 205 patients scoring greater than 8 on the questionnaire matched for age and sex.


METHODS
Death.


RESULTS
The relative risk of death in the cognitively impaired patients overall was 3.5. Those patients who scored less than or equal to 7 on the mental status questionnaire were five times more likely to die than their controls. There was no difference in risk of death between those with severe or moderate cognitive impairment.


CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive impairment is associated with early death.
Eagles
J M
JM
Ross Clinic, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Aberdeen.
Beattie
J A
JA
Restall
D B
DB
Rawlinson
F
F
Hagen
S
S
Ashcroft
G W
GW
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors