title: Validation of Montgomery-Åsberg Rating Scale and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia in Brazilian elderly patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are few studies on validation of depression scales in the elderly in Latin America. This study aimed to assess the validity of Montgomery-Åsberg. Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) in Brazilian elderly outpatients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 95 outpatients was diagnosed for dementia and depression according to DSM-IV-TR, ICD-10, and PDC-dAD criteria. Receiver Operating Curves (ROC) were used to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) and to assess MADRS and CSDD cut-offs for each diagnostic criterion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dementia was diagnosed in 71 of 95 patients. Depression was diagnosed in 35, 30, and 51 patients by ICD-10, DSM-IV, and PDC-dAD, respectively. MADRS cut-off score of 10 correctly diagnosed 67.4% and 66.3% patients as depressed according to DSM-IV and ICD-10. A cut-off of 9 correctly identified 74.7% by PDC-dAD criteria; a CSDD cut-off score of 13 best recognized depression according to DSM-IV and ICD-10. A score of 11 diagnosed depression according to PDC-dAD, while MADRS = 9 recognized depression in dementia. CSDD was more efficient in showing depression in mild than in moderate/severe dementia according to DSM-IV/ICD-10. PDC-dAD behaved nicely for any severity stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MADRS and CSDD cut-offs of 10 and 13 were the optimal ones to diagnose depression in elderly, respectively. CSDD cut-offs are higher than those found in other countries. Other Latin American studies are needed to compare results with our study.
authors.affiliation: Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. gloria_portugal@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Maria da Glória
authors.initials: Mda G
authors.lastname: Portugal
authors.forename: Evandro Silva Freire
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.forename: Cloyra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Maria Lage
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barca
authors.forename: Anne-Brita
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Knapskog
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engedal
authors.forename: Jerson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laks
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001938:Brazil; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results