Elements of mobility as predictors of survival in elderly patients with dementia: findings from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging.

In order to identify elements of mobility that predict survival in elderly people with dementia, we conducted a two-year follow-up of a cohort of dementia subjects from the population-based Canadian Study of Health and Aging. There were 749 prevalent cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 208 prevalent cases of vascular dementia. Elements of mobility that predicted death during the two-year follow-up period included difficulty in dressing (OR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.41 3.07), difficulty in getting about (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.18 2.40), history of falls (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.05 1.94), abnormal gait (OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.08 2.40) and abnormal motor strength (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.07 2.15). Sociodemographic factors such as older age and male sex were also significant predictors of decreased survival. These associations are potentially useful to clinicians and health professionals by providing prognostic information to supply to families and suggesting areas in which interventions to improve survival might be focused