Lower mortality rate in people with dementia is associated with better cognitive and functional performance in an outpatient cohort.
We describe a three-year experience with patients with dementia.


METHODS
clinical, cognitive and functional evaluation was performed by a multidisciplinary team for persons above 60 years. Mortality was assessed after three years.


RESULTS
Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (n=2,074) was 15.7 (8.4). Male patients MMSE (n=758) was 15.6 (8.3) and female's (n=1315) was 15.8 (8.3). Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (n=2023) was 16.5 (7.6); females (n=1277) was 16.9 (7.2) and males (n=745) was 15.7(8.2). From these patients, 12.6% (n=209) died within three years. Baseline cognition of patients still alive was higher (p<0.001) than MMSE of those who died [MMSE=16.3 (8.1) vs. 10.6 (7.6)]. Mortality rate decreased 6% (IR=0.94) for each additional point on MMSE. Higher functional status decreases the mortality rate approximately 11% (IR=0.89) independently of age, gender, and education.


CONCLUSIONS
Three-year mortality rates are dependent on baseline functional and cognitive status.
Centro de Doença de Alzheimer e Parkinson, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil.
Carolina
C
Verdan
Centro de Doença de Alzheimer e Parkinson, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil.
Deborah
D
Casarsa
Centro de Doença de Alzheimer e Parkinson, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil.
Marcus Romeu
MR
Perrout
Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Ministério da Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Marisa
M
Santos
Departamento de Neurologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Jano
J
Alves de Souza
Departamento de Neurologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Osvaldo
O
Nascimento
Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Evandro Silva
ES
Freire Coutinho
Centro de Estudo e Pesquisa do Envelhecimento, Instituto Vital Brazil, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Jerson
J
Laks
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires