Dementia subtypes in China: prevalence in Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, and Chengdu.
BACKGROUND
Prevalences of Alzheimer disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) in China reportedly differ from those in Western countries.


OBJECTIVE
To estimate prevalence of AD and VaD in 4 regions of China.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, population-based prevalence survey with a stratified, multistage cluster sampling design.


METHODS
Rural (n = 99) and urbanized (n = 71) communities of Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, and Chengdu.


METHODS
A sample of 34 807 community residents (94% of those eligible) 55 years or older.


METHODS
Participants were screened with the Chinese Mini-Mental State Examination. Those who screened positive (n = 3950) underwent a standardized diagnostic workup. Screening sensitivity was assessed in a 3.3% random sample (n = 1008 of the 30 857 who passed the screening). Diagnoses of AD and VaD were made according to National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke-Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders Association and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke-Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l'Enseignement en Neurosciences criteria, respectively. Final diagnoses were made after a 6-month confirmation interval.


RESULTS
We identified 732 AD cases and 295 VaD cases. Prevalence in persons 65 years or older was 3.5% (95% confidence interval, 3.0%-3.9%) for AD and 1.1% (95% confidence interval, 0.9%-1.1%) for VaD. After post hoc correction for negative screening errors, prevalence increased to 4.8% for AD and remained at 1.1% for VaD.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence of dementia subtypes in China is comparable with that in Western countries.
Zhang
Zhen-Xin
ZX
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. zhangzx@pumch.ac.cn
Zahner
Gwendolyn E P
GE
Román
Gustavo C
GC
Liu
Jun
J
Hong
Zhen
Z
Qu
Qiu-Ming
QM
Liu
Xie-He
XH
Zhang
Xiao-Jun
XJ
Zhou
Bing
B
Wu
Cheng-Bing
CB
Tang
Mao-Ni
MN
Hong
Xia
X
Li
Hui
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012111:Residence Characteristics