[Rapid loss of the Mini Mental State Examination: REAL.FR study].
BACKGROUND
Alzheimer's disease is a chronic pathology requiring regular follow-up. The predictive factors of rapid cognitive decline remain unclear.


OBJECTIVE
To analyse the baselines characteristics of patients at increased risk of rapid cognitive decline.


METHODS
This study presents transversal data on a community-based sample of 340 patients diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease and followed by REAL.FR group. Rapid cognitive decline was defined as a 3-points or greater loss on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) within six months.


RESULTS
54% of patients presented a rapid cognitive decline. Logistic regression analysis showed a positive association between rapid cognitive decline and a MMSE < or = 20 (p < 0.003) or a greater BMI (p < 0.02) and a tendency towards a negative correlation with anxiety (p = 0.06) and negative correlation with the burden severity (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with a worse cognitive status, a greater BMI and less anxiety or burden were at increased risk of rapid cognitive decline. Future studies should focus on determining etiologies for patients with rapid cognitive loss and help clinicians target these patients for interventions aiming to delay or stabilise the course of this disease.
Dumont
C
C
Département de médecine interne et gériatrie, cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, UCL, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgique. am041668@skynet.be
Gillette-Guyonnet
S
S
Andrieu
S
S
Cantet
C
C
Ousset
P J
PJ
Vellas
B
B
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors