Increasing prevalence of dementia among very old people.
BACKGROUND
it is unknown whether the age-specific prevalence of dementia among the very old changes over time.


METHODS
this study compares the prevalence of dementia in two population-based cross-sectional samples of very old people in northern Sweden in 2000-02 and in 2005-07. In total, 430 individuals aged 85 and older (mean age 89.5 years, 71.4% women) were evaluated for dementia in the first cross-section and 465 individuals (mean age 90.2 years, 70.9% women) in the second. Trained assessors performed assessments and interviews during home visits and collected information from carers, relatives and medical records. Dementia was diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition criteria.


RESULTS
the prevalence of dementia in the total sample was 26.5% in 2000-02 and 37.2% in 2005-07 (P = 0.001). There was also an increase in the prescription of different antihypertensive agents, antilipemic agents and choline esterase inhibitors, and more people had had heart surgery in the later sample.


CONCLUSIONS
in this sample of very old people, an increase in the age-specific prevalence of dementia was detected over 5 years. Possible reasons for this may be extended survival among individuals with risk factors for dementia and among individuals with established dementia.
Geriatric Medicine, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Umeå SE-901 85, Sweden. johan.mathillas@germed.umu.se
Johan
J
Mathillas
Hugo
H
Lövheim
Yngve
Y
Gustafson
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors