title: Cognitive impairment assessed at annual geriatric health examinations predicts mortality among the elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether cognitive impairment assessed at annual geriatric health examinations is associated with increased mortality in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cohort study was based on data obtained from the government-sponsored Annual Geriatric Health Examination Program for the elderly in Taipei City between 2006 and 2010. The study sample consisted of 77,541 community-dwelling Taipei citizens aged 65 years or older. The Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) was selected to measure cognitive impairment. Mortality was ascertained by matching cohort IDs with national death files.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a dose-response relationship between cognitive impairment and mortality (increased one score of SPMSQ, Hazard ratio [HR]: 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10-1.14). Relative to no cognitive impairment, the HRs were 1.67 (95% CI: 1.43-1.94), 2.26 (95% CI: 1.90-2.70), and 2.68 (95% CI: 2.25-3.19) for mild, moderate, and severe cognitive impairments, respectively. The causes of death associated with cognitive impairment were circulatory, respiratory, and other causes, but not death from cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cognitive impairment as measured by the SPMSQ is associated with an increased risk for mortality. Even mild cognitive impairment was associated with greater risk of mortality at a relatively short follow-up time.
authors: Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Dermatology, Taipei City Hospital, Heping Fuyou Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Chen-Yi
authors: CY
authors: Wu
authors: Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Yi-Chang
authors: YC
authors: Chou
authors: Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Huang
authors: Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Yiing-Jenq
authors: YJ
authors: Chou
authors: Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: hyhu@ym.edu.tw.
authors: Hsiao-Yun
authors: HY
authors: Hu
authors: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: cpli@vghtpe.gov.tw.
authors: Chung-Pin
authors: CP
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Cognitive impairment; Elderly; Mortality; Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire(SPMSQ)