ADAS-cog (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale)--validation of the Slovak version.
BACKGROUND
ADAS was designed to measure the severity of the most important symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Its subscale ADAS-cog is the most popular cognitive testing instrument used in clinical trials of nootropics. It consists of 11 tasks measuring the disturbances of memory, language, praxis, attention and other cognitive abilities which are often referred to as the core symptoms of AD.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study is to verify the Slovak adaptation of ADAS-cog and its ability to distinguish patients with AD from those with depressive disorders (DD).


METHODS
The study sample consists of 29 psychiatric inpatients divided into 2 groups: the AD group of 14 patients (4 males, 10 females, mean age 73.9 +/- 7.3 yrs) fulfilling NINCDS-ADRDA criteria of probable AD and the DD group of 15 subjects (6 males, 9 females, mean age 74.3 +/- 6.5 yrs) without any cognitive impairment. In all patients the ADAS-cog and SMMSE were administered. We compared the group in: total scores in both scales, task scores in the ADAS-cog and the scores of 3 ADAS-cog factors--memory, language and praxis.


RESULTS
Both methods distinguished the patients with the AD from DD (p < 0.001 for both scales). Also other variables (task and factor scores of ADAS-cog) reflect the worse results of the AD group. The most evident differences between the diagnostic groups were found in the orientation and constructive praxis. The education level did not affect the scores of the ADAS-cog in the AD patients but it did in SMMSE scores in the DD group (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The Slovak version of ADAS-cog has distinguished the patients with the AD from those with DD. The most evident differences between the groups were found in orientation and visuo-constructive praxis. In DD patients, the risk of false positive findings in subjects with lower education is higher than in the AD patients. In comparison with the SMMSE, ADAS-cog seems to be more helpful in early diagnostics of AD. (Tab. 6, Fig. 3, Ref. 14.)
Kolibas
E
E
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia. kolibas@fmed.uniba.sk
Korinkova
V
V
Novotny
V
V
Vajdickova
K
K
Hunakova
D
D
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D019852:Diacylglycerol Kinase; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D018154:Slovakia
D019852:Diacylglycerol Kinase