Measuring Alzheimer's disease progression with transition probabilities in the Taiwanese population.
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.
Fuh
Jong-Ling
JL
Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. jlfuh@vghtpe.gov.tw
Pwu
Raoh-Fang
RF
Wang
Shuu-Jiun
SJ
Chen
Yu-Hsin
YH
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
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors