Risk factors of caregiver burden among patients with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders: a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
Caregivers play a major role in the care of patients with dementia and are themselves at higher risk of disease.


OBJECTIVE
We investigate which factors are associated with caregivers burden of outpatients visiting a memory clinic and how functional autonomy and behavioral and psychological symptoms can influence caregiver burden.


METHODS
The study population was chosen from outpatients with progressive cognitive complaint. The caregiver burden was measured with the short version of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). The relationship was assessed between the ZBI and the patients characteristics, including Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale (IADL), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), etiology, and stage of the cognitive impairment.


RESULTS
In a population of 548 patients, IADL, NPI, antidepressant drugs, and MMSE were found to be related to ZBI, while diagnosed etiology and disease stage were not significant: ZBI decreased by 0.34 point for every unit of IADL, and by 0.03 point for every unit of MMSE; ZBI increased by 0.03 point for every unit of NPI. From the IADL scale, the ability to handle finances, food preparation, responsibility to take medications, mode of transportation, and ability to use the telephone increased the ZBI. Five areas of the NPI increased the ZBI: apathy, agitation, aberrant motor behavior, appetite disorders (p < 0.001), and irritability (p = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Caregivers experience a higher burden due to disease symptoms such as impairment of functional autonomy and behavioral and cognitive impairment, whatever the etiology of the cognitive decline.
Memory Research Centre of Lyon (CMRR); Geriatrics Unit, Charpennes Hospital, University Hospital of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France.
Virginie
V
Dauphinot
Memory Research Centre of Lyon (CMRR); Geriatrics Unit, Charpennes Hospital, University Hospital of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France.
Floriane
F
Delphin-Combe
Research Clinic Centre (CRC) - VCF (Aging - Brain - Frailty), Charpennes Hospital, University Hospital of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France University Hospital of Lyon, Pharmaceutical Unit, Lyon, France University Lyon 1, INSERM, U1028, UMR CNRS 5292, Research Centre of Neurosciences of Lyon, Lyon, France.
Christelle
C
Mouchoux
Memory Research Centre of Lyon (CMRR); Geriatrics Unit, Charpennes Hospital, University Hospital of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France.
Aline
A
Dorey
Memory Research Centre of Lyon (CMRR); Geriatrics Unit, Charpennes Hospital, University Hospital of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France.
Anthony
A
Bathsavanis
Memory Research Centre of Lyon (CMRR); Geriatrics Unit, Charpennes Hospital, University Hospital of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France.
Zaza
Z
Makaroff
Memory Research Centre of Lyon (CMRR); Geriatrics Unit, Charpennes Hospital, University Hospital of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France Neurology Unit, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint Etienne, France.
Isabelle
I
Rouch
Memory Research Centre of Lyon (CMRR); Geriatrics Unit, Charpennes Hospital, University Hospital of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France Research Clinic Centre (CRC) - VCF (Aging - Brain - Frailty), Charpennes Hospital, University Hospital of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France University Lyon 1, INSERM, U1028, UMR CNRS 5292, Research Centre of Neurosciences of Lyon, Lyon, France.
Pierre
P
Krolak-Salmon
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010045:Outpatients; D012307:Risk Factors
Alzheimer's disease or related disorder; behavioral disorders; caregiver; dementia; dependency; elderly