Prevalence of dementia with Lewy bodies in an inpatient psychogeriatric population in Hong Kong Chinese.
OBJECTIVE
To find out the prevalence of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) in an inpatient psychogeriatric population in Hong Kong Chinese.


METHODS
Clinical notes of all dementia patients admitted to an inpatient psychogeriatric unit between 1 January and 31 December 2000 were reviewed to retrieve information on various subtypes of dementia that have been diagnosed prospectively using NINCDS-ARDRA, NINDS-AIREN, CDLB and DSM-IV by qualified senior psychogeriatricians.


RESULTS
There were only three cases of dementia with Lewy bodies out of 102 dementia inpatients, giving a prevalence rate of 2.9% over a two-year period.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence rate of dementia with Lewy bodies is remarkably lower than figures reported in western studies. Further evaluation using better sampling frame and better-validated diagnostic gold standard is required. Ethnically related biological factors may be implicated to explain the preliminary low prevalence rate in Chinese population.
Chan
Sandra S M
SS
Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR. b101848@cuhk.edu.hk
Chiu
Helen F K
HF
Lam
Linda C W
LC
Leung
Vivian P Y
VP
D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales