Guk-Hee Suh1, Seung Kyum Kim. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical Centre, Seoul, Korea. suhgh@chollian.net
Abstract
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVE: There were few studies identifying the natural unfolding of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in the course of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression in antipsychotic-naive AD patients. This study aims to examine the specific nature of the association between BPSD in AD and the global severity of illness measured by Global Deterioration Scale(GDS) in antipsychotic-naive AD patients in Korea. METHODS: A total of 562 antipsychotics-naive AD patients were recruited from four different groups [a geriatric mental hospital (n = 145), a semi-hospitalized dementia institution (n = 120), a dementia clinic (n = 114) and community-dwelling dementia patients (n = 183)]. BPSD exhibited by AD patients were measured using the 25-item Korean version of the BEHAVE-AD. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent (n = 517) of AD patients had at least one BPSD, while 56% (n=315) had 4 or more BPSD. Specific kinds of behavioral disturbance peak at the stages of moderate AD (GDS stage 5) or moderately severe AD (GDS stage 6). AD patients left at home without any treatment had higher frequency of BPSD than did other groups seeking treatment, although all of them were antipsychotic-naive. CONCLUSION: BPSD potentially remediable to treatment were highly frequent in Korean AD patients. Health policies to meet the unmet needs of elderly Koreans are urgently needed, especially for AD patients at home without treatment.
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVE: There were few studies identifying the natural unfolding of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in the course of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression in antipsychotic-naive ADpatients. This study aims to examine the specific nature of the association between BPSD in AD and the global severity of illness measured by Global Deterioration Scale(GDS) in antipsychotic-naive ADpatients in Korea. METHODS: A total of 562 antipsychotics-naive ADpatients were recruited from four different groups [a geriatric mental hospital (n = 145), a semi-hospitalized dementia institution (n = 120), a dementia clinic (n = 114) and community-dwelling dementiapatients (n = 183)]. BPSD exhibited by ADpatients were measured using the 25-item Korean version of the BEHAVE-AD. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent (n = 517) of ADpatients had at least one BPSD, while 56% (n=315) had 4 or more BPSD. Specific kinds of behavioral disturbance peak at the stages of moderate AD (GDS stage 5) or moderately severe AD (GDS stage 6). ADpatients left at home without any treatment had higher frequency of BPSD than did other groups seeking treatment, although all of them were antipsychotic-naive. CONCLUSION:BPSD potentially remediable to treatment were highly frequent in Korean ADpatients. Health policies to meet the unmet needs of elderly Koreans are urgently needed, especially for ADpatients at home without treatment.
Authors: Petra Borsje; Roland B Wetzels; Peter L B J Lucassen; Anne-Margriet Pot; Raymond T C M Koopmans Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2014-03-17 Impact factor: 3.921