BACKGROUND: Dementia is becoming a major public health problem in Latin America (LA), yet epidemiological information on dementia remains scarce in this region. This study analyzes data from epidemiological studies on the prevalence of dementia in LA and compares the prevalence of dementia and its causes across countries in LA and attempts to clarify differences from those of developed regions of the world. METHODS: A database search for population studies on rates of dementia in LA was performed. Abstracts were also included in the search. Authors of the publications were invited to participate in this collaborative study by sharing missing or more recent data analysis with the group. RESULTS: Eight studies from six countries were included. The global prevalence of dementia in the elderly (> or =65 years) was 7.1% (95% CI: 6.8-7.4), mirroring the rates of developed countries. However, prevalence in relatively young subjects (65-69 years) was higher in LA studies The rate of illiteracy among the elderly was 9.3% and the prevalence of dementia in illiterates was two times higher than in literates. Alzheimer's disease was the most common cause of dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with studies from developed countries, the global prevalence of dementia in LA proved similar, although a higher prevalence of dementia in relatively young subjects was evidenced, which may be related to the association between low educational level and lower cognitive reserve, causing earlier emergence of clinical signs of dementia in the LA elderly population.
BACKGROUND:Dementia is becoming a major public health problem in Latin America (LA), yet epidemiological information on dementia remains scarce in this region. This study analyzes data from epidemiological studies on the prevalence of dementia in LA and compares the prevalence of dementia and its causes across countries in LA and attempts to clarify differences from those of developed regions of the world. METHODS: A database search for population studies on rates of dementia in LA was performed. Abstracts were also included in the search. Authors of the publications were invited to participate in this collaborative study by sharing missing or more recent data analysis with the group. RESULTS: Eight studies from six countries were included. The global prevalence of dementia in the elderly (> or =65 years) was 7.1% (95% CI: 6.8-7.4), mirroring the rates of developed countries. However, prevalence in relatively young subjects (65-69 years) was higher in LA studies The rate of illiteracy among the elderly was 9.3% and the prevalence of dementia in illiterates was two times higher than in literates. Alzheimer's disease was the most common cause of dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with studies from developed countries, the global prevalence of dementia in LA proved similar, although a higher prevalence of dementia in relatively young subjects was evidenced, which may be related to the association between low educational level and lower cognitive reserve, causing earlier emergence of clinical signs of dementia in the LA elderly population.
Authors: Ricardo Nitrini; Paulo Caramelli; Emílio Herrera; Isac de Castro; Valéria S Bahia; Renato Anghinah; Leonardo F Caixeta; Márcia Radanovic; Helenice Charchat-Fichman; Cláudia S Porto; Maria Teresa Carthery; Ana Paula J Hartmann; Nancy Huang; Jerusa Smid; Edison P Lima; Daniel Yasumasa Takahashi; Leonel Tadao Takada Journal: Int J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2005-03 Impact factor: 3.485
Authors: L Fratiglioni; L J Launer; K Andersen; M M Breteler; J R Copeland; J F Dartigues; A Lobo; J Martinez-Lage; H Soininen; A Hofman Journal: Neurology Date: 2000 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Anthony J Perkins; Siu L Hui; Adesola Ogunniyi; Oyewusi Gureje; Olusegun Baiyewu; Frederick W Unverzagt; Sujuan Gao; Kathleen S Hall; Beverly S Musick; Hugh C Hendrie Journal: Int J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2002-06 Impact factor: 3.485
Authors: Gladys E Maestre; Gloria Pino-Ramírez; Aldrin E Molero; Eglé R Silva; Raquel Zambrano; Luis Falque; María P Gamero; Tulio A Sulbarán Journal: Neuroepidemiology Date: 2002 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 3.282
Authors: Juan J Llibre Rodriguez; Cleusa P Ferri; Daisy Acosta; Mariella Guerra; Yueqin Huang; K S Jacob; E S Krishnamoorthy; Aquiles Salas; Ana Luisa Sosa; Isaac Acosta; Michael E Dewey; Ciro Gaona; A T Jotheeswaran; Shuran Li; Diana Rodriguez; Guillermina Rodriguez; P Senthil Kumar; Adolfo Valhuerdi; Martin Prince Journal: Lancet Date: 2008-07-25 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Erinaldo Ubirajara Damasceno Dos Santos; Elaine Bandeira Cavalcanti Duarte; Laura Maria Ramos Miranda; Andore Guescel C Asano; Nadja Maria Jorge Asano; Maria de Mascena Diniz Maia; Paulo Roberto Eleutério de Souza Journal: Neuromolecular Med Date: 2019-05-22 Impact factor: 3.843
Authors: Gladys E Maestre; Luis J Mena; Jesus D Melgarejo; Daniel C Aguirre-Acevedo; Gloria Pino-Ramírez; Milady Urribarrí; Inara J Chacon; Carlos A Chávez; Luis Falque-Madrid; Ciro A Gaona; Joseph D Terwilliger; Joseph H Lee; Nikolaos Scarmeas Journal: Alzheimers Dement Date: 2017-09-21 Impact factor: 21.566
Authors: Carlos Díaz-Venegas; Rafael Samper-Ternent; Alejandra Michaels-Obregón; Rebeca Wong Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2018-11-18 Impact factor: 3.658
Authors: Allison R Kaup; Eleanor M Simonsick; Tamara B Harris; Suzanne Satterfield; Andrea L Metti; Hilsa N Ayonayon; Susan M Rubin; Kristine Yaffe Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2013-10-24 Impact factor: 6.053
Authors: Claudia K Suemoto; Renata E P Leite; Renata E L Ferretti-Rebustini; Roberta D Rodriguez; Ricardo Nitrini; Carlos A Pasqualucci; Wilson Jacob-Filho; Lea T Grinberg Journal: Brain Pathol Date: 2019-04-10 Impact factor: 6.508
Authors: Vivian P Lara; Paulo Caramelli; Antônio L Teixeira; Maira T Barbosa; Karoline C Carmona; Henrique C Guimarães; Maria G Carvalho; Ana P Fernandes; Karina B Gomes Journal: J Clin Lab Anal Date: 2015-08-24 Impact factor: 2.352