title: Subjective cognitive complaints included in diagnostic evaluation of dementia helps accurate diagnosis in a mixed memory clinic cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to examine the quantity and profile of subjective cognitive complaints in young patients as compared with elderly patients referred to a memory clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were consecutively recruited from the Copenhagen University Hospital Memory Clinic at Rigshospitalet. In total, 307 patients and 149 age-matched healthy controls were included. Patients were classified in 4 diagnostic groups: dementia, mild cognitive impairment, affective disorders and no cognitive impairment. Subjective memory was assessed with subjective memory complaints (SMC) scale. Global cognitive functions were assessed with the Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Addenbrooke's cognitive examination (ACE), and symptoms of depression were rated with Major Depression Inventory (MDI). All interviews and the diagnostic conclusion were blinded to the SMC score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that young patients with dementia have a significantly higher level and a different profile of subjective cognitive complaints as compared with elderly patients with dementia. Furthermore, young patients, diagnosed with an affective disorder, had the highest level of subjective cognitive complaints of all patients in a memory clinic. The age of the patients and MDI score (but not MMSE or ACE) had significant impact on the level of subjective cognitive complaints.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have established that young patients with dementia have a different profile of subjective cognitive complaints than elderly patients, and further studies are needed to clarify possible relation to specific subtypes of dementia. Altogether, a systematic interview on subjective cognitive complaints may contribute to the diagnostic evaluation of patients referred to a memory clinic.
authors.affiliation: Memory Disorders Research Group, Danish Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.affiliation: Memory Disorders Research Group, Danish Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Copenhagen University Hospital Glostrup, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ebstrup
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Copenhagen University Hospital Glostrup, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Linneberg
authors.affiliation: Memory Disorders Research Group, Danish Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waldemar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: dementia; subjective cognitive complaints; subjective cognitive decline; subjective memory complaints scale; young