Behavioral disturbances in geropsychiatric inpatients across dementia types.
The objective of this study was to compare differences in behavioral, psychiatric, and cognitive status among geropsychiatric inpatients with Alzheimer's, vascular, alcohol-induced, and mixed dementia. Participants included 150 patients with dementia consecutively admitted to an acute geropsychiatric inpatient unit. Measures included the Mini-Mental State Examination, Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale, Basic and Independent Activities of Daily Living, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia, and the Initiation/Perseveration subscale of the Dementia Rating Scale. No significant differences existed in the character or severity of agitation among patients with Alzheimer's, vascular, alcohol-related and mixed dementia. Interestingly, patients with vascular dementia compared to patients with other dementias admitted for behavioral disturbances were less cognitively impaired and more medically burdened.
Kunik
M E
ME
Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston Center for Quality of Care and Utilization Studies, Texas 77030, USA.
Huffman
J C
JC
Bharani
N
N
Hillman
S L
SL
Molinari
V A
VA
Orengo
C A
CA
D000368:Aged; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000523:psychology; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology