Acute Psychogeriatric Inpatient Treatment Improves Neuropsychiatric Symptoms but Impairs the Level of Functioning in Patients with Dementia.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the impact of hospitalization on neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and the level of functioning in patients with dementia. Our aim was also to study the influence of psychotropic medications.


METHODS
Behavioral disturbances, cognition and functional status of 89 patients were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Mini-Mental State Examination, Barthel Index, and Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCSADL).


RESULTS
The total NPI score decreased from 34.6 to 19.5 (p < 0.001), and ADL decreased from 32.2 to 21.7 (p < 0.001) during the hospital stay (mean of 44 days). For a change in ADL, only the effect of anxiolytics was significant (p = 0.045). For a change in NPI with antipsychotic and anxiolytic doses and Mini-Mental State Examination as covariates, no significant relationship was found.


CONCLUSIONS
NPS improved significantly during hospitalization, but neither antipsychotic nor anxiolytic medication use explained this improvement. In patients using anxiolytics, the functional decline was substantial. These results do not support anxiolytic use in demented patients with NPS.
Neuropsychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
Hanna-Mari
HM
Alanen
Anneli
A
Pitkänen
Kirsti
K
Suontaka-Jamalainen
Olli
O
Kampman
Esa
E
Leinonen
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents