title: Prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in chinese older persons with mild cognitive impairment-a population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the point prevalence and correlates of neuropsychiatric (NP) symptoms among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and normal cognition (NC) in a Chinese community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study derived from a population-based prevalence study of MCI and dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This survey was conducted in Hong Kong from 2005 to 2006. Seven hundred eighty-eight community-dwelling older adults (450 NC and 338 MCI) were recruited. Cognitive and NP data were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The point prevalence of at least one NP symptom in NC and MCI were 29% and 36.7%, respectively (logistic regression controlled for age and education, odds ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.89, Wald χ = 4.10, df = 1, p = 0.04). Agitation (1.8% versus 5.1%), apathy (7.6% versus 15.2%), and irritability (4.2% versus 8%) were more prevalent in subjects with MCI (p <0.05). Logistic regression analyses showed that apathy score was a significant factor associated with the status of NC or MCI (logistic regression, apathy, p = 0.031, Exp(B) = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.02-1.47; Hosmer and Lemeshow test, χ = 8.6, df = 8, p = 0.38, R = 0.23).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors reported the findings of one of the first population-based studies estimating the point prevalence of NP symptoms in Asian older adults with MCI. Taking into account of its prevalence and magnitude of effects, apathy is a clinically significant symptom in MCI. Its predictive value for conversion to dementia warrants further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Castle Peak Hospital, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Wai-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Linda Chiu-Wa
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Cindy Woon-Chi
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Victor Wing-Cheong
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.forename: Sandra Sau-Man
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Wai-Man
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Helen Fung-Kum
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence