A longitudinal study of physical function in patients with early-onset dementia.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to explore changes in mobility in terms of ambulation and transfer over 1 year in patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD), and to compare mobility in EOAD with patients with other types of early-onset dementia (EOOD).


METHODS
Forty-two patients with EOAD and 30 patients with EOOD were included. All patients were home-dwelling and had mild or moderate degree of dementia. Mobility was assessed using the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), a modified version of the Clinical Outcome Variables Scale, timed stair walking, and timed rise from the floor.


RESULTS
The EOAD group performed significantly better than the EOOD group on all mobility tests. After 1 year, 25 persons with EOAD were tested again. The performance on TUG (p = 0.028) and stair walking (p = 0.02) had deteriorated at the 1-year follow-up in the EOAD group.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with EOAD performed better on mobility tasks than patients with EOOD, but their performance deteriorated at 1-year follow-up.
Department of Health Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Gro Gujord
GG
Tangen
Elisabet
E
Londos
Johan
J
Olsson
Lennart
L
Minthon
Anne Marit
AM
Mengshoel
Alzheimer's disease; Dementia; Early onset; Mobility; Motor function; Physical performance; Timed Up and Go Test