title: Comorbidity and clinical features in elderly patients with dementia: differences according to dementia severity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate comorbidity and clinical features in elderly patients with dementia to determine differences according to dementia severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study with medical record review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight hospitals in the Barcelona area.
  
  
  METHODS
  515 consecutive admissions aged > 64 years with dementia, 89.1% of whom lived in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected data on sociodemographic variables, type of dementia, Barthel Index (BI), Lawton and Brody Index (LI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Charlson Index and the total number of drugs chronically prescribed. We stratified the population into two groups according to disease severity with the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS): mild-moderate (GDS 3-5) and severe (GDS 6-7).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were a total of 515 participants of which 364 females (70%) and 151 males with a mean age of 81 +/- 6 years old. The total number of chronic prescription drugs was 5.6 +/- 2.4. The mean Charlson Index score was 2 +/- 1.2. The 270 (52.5%) patients with a GDS score of 3-5 were compared with the 245 patients with a GDS score of 6-7. In the multivariate analysis, a GDS score of 6-7 was associated with poorer LI, BI, and MMSE scores and greater neuroleptic therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Important comorbidity conditions are common in elderly individuals with dementia. The patients with more severe dementia had poor functional status and higher frequency of neuroleptic use. Medical comorbidities should be taken into account in the management of patients with dementia.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Service, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L Hospitalet de Llobregat 08907, Barcelona, Spain. fformiga@csub.scs.es
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Formiga
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fort
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Robles
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riu
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sabartes
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barranco
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Catena
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015897:Comorbidity; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology