title: Responsiveness of the quality of life in late-stage dementia scale to psychotropic drug treatment in late-stage dementia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We report on the responsiveness of a previously validated quality-of-life scale, the Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia scale (QUALID), as an outcome measure in a clinical trial of two psychotropic medications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary analyses were conducted comparing outcome measures used in a randomized double-blind trial of two antipsychotics (olanzapine and risperidone) for the treatment of dementia-related behavioral symptoms. The QUALID was completed for 31 of the patients in addition to several measures of behavior-related dementia symptoms including the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, the Withdrawn Behavior subscale of the Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Clinical Global Impression. Measures of safety and adverse effects included the Simpson-Angus Scale and records of specific adverse events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant positive relationship was found between QUALID score and improvement in behavioral symptoms, and a negative association was found with adverse medication effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The QUALID was sensitive to both the treatment effects and the adverse effects of medication in this sample of patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390-9070, USA.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martin-Cook
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Hynan
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rice-Koch
authors.forename: Doris A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Svetlik
authors.forename: Myron F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009735:Nursing Homes; D000077152:Olanzapine; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine