title: Survival in elderly persons with Down syndrome.
abstract: The longer life expectancy now experienced by persons with Down syndrome (DS) makes it necessary to know the factors influencing survival in older persons with this syndrome. In a prospective longitudinal cohort study of dementia and mortality, 506 persons with DS aged 45 and older were followed for a mean of 4.5 years (range 0.0-7.6 years). Cognitive and social functioning were tested at baseline and annual follow-up. The diagnosis of dementia was determined according to a standardized protocol. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used for survival analysis. Relative preservation of cognitive and functional ability is associated with better survival in this study population. Clinically, the most important disorders in persons with DS that are related to mortality are dementia, mobility restrictions, visual impairment, and epilepsy but not cardiovascular diseases. Also, level of intellectual disability and institutionalization are associated with mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Antonia M W
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Coppus
authors.forename: Heleen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Evenhuis
authors.forename: Gert-Jan
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Verberne
authors.forename: Frank E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Ben A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Oostra
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eikelenboom
authors.forename: Willem A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: van Gool
authors.forename: A Cecile J W
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: Cornelia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van Duijn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000209:etiology; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate