title: Prevalence and correlates of aggressive behaviours occurring in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and clinical correlates of verbal and physical aggression occurring in Alzheimer's disease sufferers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective note review was performed to classify the subjects according to whether they were verbally or physically aggressive (assaultive) or non-aggressive. The characteristics of the three groups were compared.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 262 patients who were living in non-institutional settings and had been diagnosed as suffering from dementia of Alzheimer's type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-two per cent exhibited some aggressive behaviour. Ninety-one (35%) patients were reported to be verbally aggressive and a further 46 (18%) were assaultive to their carers. Male gender (relative risk 2.17, 95% confidence interval 1.11-4.17) and the presence of dyspraxia (relative risk 2.89, 95% confidence interval 1.43-5.88) both increased the likelihood of assaultive behaviour. Verbal aggression was not associated with any of the clinical features measured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aggressive behaviour is a common phenomenon in AD and approximately one in five sufferers is assaultive. Assaultive behaviour is associated with male gender and dyspraxia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eastley
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Wilcock
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000374:Aggression; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001037:Aphasia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D001072:Apraxias / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data