title: The Danish Alzheimer intervention study: rationale, study design and baseline characteristics of the cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a lack of appropriately designed trials investigating the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for patients with mild dementia and their family caregivers. This paper reports the rationale and design of the Danish Alzheimer Disease Intervention Study and baseline characteristics of the cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a 1-year multicentre randomized controlled rater-blinded trial with randomization to follow-up and a multifaceted semitailored intervention programme or to follow-up only (with extension of follow-up to 3 years). The intervention included a counselling programme, teaching courses, written information and logbooks. The outcomes included clinical efficacy parameters, patient satisfaction and health economic consequences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 330 patients and their 330 caregivers were included during a period of 18 months. The majority (65.2 %) of the caregivers were spouses. At inclusion the mean age of the patients and caregivers was 76.2 and 66.0 years, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study will explore the added value of a multifaceted intervention programme and contribute to the design of future interventions for patients with mild dementia and their caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Memory Disorders Research Group, Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. gunhild.waldemar@rh.regionh.dk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waldemar
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Waldorff
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Buss
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eckermann
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Keiding
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rishøj
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Siersma
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vogel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method