INTRODUCTION: Recent developments in diagnostic technology can support earlier, more accurate diagnosis of non-Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementias. METHODS: To evaluate potential economic benefits of early rule-out of AD, annual medical resource use and costs for Medicare beneficiaries potentially misdiagnosed with AD prior to their diagnosis of vascular dementia (VD) or Parkinson's disease (PD) were compared with that of similar patients never diagnosed with AD. RESULTS: Patients with prior AD diagnosis used substantially more medical services every year until their VD/PD diagnosis, resulting in incremental annual medical costs of approximately $9,500-$14,000. However, following their corrected diagnosis, medical costs converged with those of patients never diagnosed with AD. DISCUSSION: The observed correlation between timing of correct diagnosis and subsequent reversal in excess costs is strongly suggestive of the role of misdiagnosis of AD - rather than AD comorbidity - in this patient population. Our findings suggest potential benefits from earlier, accurate diagnosis.
INTRODUCTION: Recent developments in diagnostic technology can support earlier, more accurate diagnosis of non-Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementias. METHODS: To evaluate potential economic benefits of early rule-out of AD, annual medical resource use and costs for Medicare beneficiaries potentially misdiagnosed with AD prior to their diagnosis of vascular dementia (VD) or Parkinson's disease (PD) were compared with that of similar patients never diagnosed with AD. RESULTS:Patients with prior AD diagnosis used substantially more medical services every year until their VD/PD diagnosis, resulting in incremental annual medical costs of approximately $9,500-$14,000. However, following their corrected diagnosis, medical costs converged with those of patients never diagnosed with AD. DISCUSSION: The observed correlation between timing of correct diagnosis and subsequent reversal in excess costs is strongly suggestive of the role of misdiagnosis of AD - rather than AD comorbidity - in this patient population. Our findings suggest potential benefits from earlier, accurate diagnosis.
Authors: Victor T T Chan; Zihan Sun; Shumin Tang; Li Jia Chen; Adrian Wong; Clement C Tham; Tien Y Wong; Christopher Chen; M Kamran Ikram; Heather E Whitson; Eleonora M Lad; Vincent C T Mok; Carol Y Cheung Journal: Ophthalmology Date: 2018-08-13 Impact factor: 12.079
Authors: Michael Happich; Noam Y Kirson; Urvi Desai; Sarah King; Howard G Birnbaum; Catherine Reed; Mark Belger; Alan Lenox-Smith; David Price Journal: J Alzheimers Dis Date: 2016-05-06 Impact factor: 4.472
Authors: Corinne E Fischer; Winnie Qian; Tom A Schweizer; Zahinoor Ismail; Eric E Smith; Colleen P Millikin; David G Munoz Journal: Alzheimers Dement (N Y) Date: 2017-06-21