Earlier onset of Alzheimer disease symptoms in latino individuals compared with anglo individuals.
BACKGROUND
Latino individuals are the largest minority group and the fastest growing population group in the United States, yet there are few studies comparing the clinical features of Alzheimer disease (AD) in this population with those found in Anglo (white non-Latino) patients.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the age at AD symptom onset in Latino and Anglo individuals.


METHODS
Cross-sectional assessment using standardized methods to collect and compare age at AD symptom onset, demographic variables, and medical variables.


METHODS
Five National Institute on Aging-sponsored Alzheimer's Disease Centers with experience evaluating Spanish-speaking individuals.


METHODS
We evaluated 119 Latino and 55 Anglo patients who had a diagnosis of AD.


METHODS
Age at symptom onset.


RESULTS
After adjusting for center, sex, and years of education, Latino patients had a mean age at symptom onset 6.8 years earlier (95% confidence interval, 3.5-10.3 years earlier) than Anglo patients.


CONCLUSIONS
An earlier age at symptom onset suggests that US mainland Latino individuals may experience an increased burden of AD compared with Anglo individuals. The basis for the younger age at symptom onset remains obscure.
Clark
Christopher M
CM
Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Disease Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA. clarkc@mail.med.upenn.edu
DeCarli
Charles
C
Mungas
Dan
D
Chui
Helena I
HI
Higdon
Roger
R
Nuñez
Jessica
J
Fernandez
Henrique
H
Negrón
Mirna
M
Manly
Jennifer
J
Ferris
Steven
S
Perez
Angelica
A
Torres
Migdalia
M
Ewbank
Douglas
D
Glosser
Guila
G
van Belle
Gerald
G
D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*