Behavioral and Psychological Signs and Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) in antipsychotic-naïve Alzheimer's Disease patients.
OBJECTIVE
There were few studies identifying the natural unfolding of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in the course of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression in antipsychotic-naive AD patients. This study aims to examine the specific nature of the association between BPSD in AD and the global severity of illness measured by Global Deterioration Scale(GDS) in antipsychotic-naive AD patients in Korea.


METHODS
A total of 562 antipsychotics-naive AD patients were recruited from four different groups [a geriatric mental hospital (n = 145), a semi-hospitalized dementia institution (n = 120), a dementia clinic (n = 114) and community-dwelling dementia patients (n = 183)]. BPSD exhibited by AD patients were measured using the 25-item Korean version of the BEHAVE-AD.


RESULTS
Ninety-two percent (n = 517) of AD patients had at least one BPSD, while 56% (n=315) had 4 or more BPSD. Specific kinds of behavioral disturbance peak at the stages of moderate AD (GDS stage 5) or moderately severe AD (GDS stage 6). AD patients left at home without any treatment had higher frequency of BPSD than did other groups seeking treatment, although all of them were antipsychotic-naive.


CONCLUSIONS
BPSD potentially remediable to treatment were highly frequent in Korean AD patients. Health policies to meet the unmet needs of elderly Koreans are urgently needed, especially for AD patients at home without treatment.
Suh
Guk-Hee
GH
Department of Psychiatry, Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical Centre, Seoul, Korea. suhgh@chollian.net
Kim
Seung Kyum
SK
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents