Responsiveness of the quality of life in late-stage dementia scale to psychotropic drug treatment in late-stage dementia.
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in addition to several measures of behavior-related dementia symptoms including the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, the Withdrawn Behavior subscale of the Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Clinical Global Impression.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.
Martin-Cook
Kristin
K
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390-9070, USA.
Hynan
Linda S
LS
Rice-Koch
Kathleen
K
Svetlik
Doris A
DA
Weiner
Myron F
MF
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
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine