title: Measuring Alzheimer's disease progression with transition probabilities in the Taiwanese population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The transition probability of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is defined as the likelihood that the disease progresses from one stage to another in a given time period.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the separate stage-to-stage and stage-to-death transition probabilities for Taiwanese patients with AD and to evaluate the hazard ratios of age, sex, behavioral symptoms, and medications on disease progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined data (severity of dementia, hallucinations or delusions, use of cholinesterase inhibitors [CEIs], survival) in 365 patients with probable AD at baseline and at follow-Gup (mean +/- SD 29 +/- 17 months, range 3-109 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Modified survival analysis revealed that transition probabilities of Taiwanese patients were similar to those of Western patients. The probability of dementia remaining at the same stage was higher in patients taking CEIs than in other. Men had a higher probability of dying in the mild stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transition probabilities can be used to measure AD progression. CEIs used to treat AD might alter the disease course.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. jlfuh@vghtpe.gov.tw
authors.forename: Jong-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fuh
authors.forename: Raoh-Fang
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Pwu
authors.forename: Shuu-Jiun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu-Hsin
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors