B Grandal Leiros1, L I Pérez Méndez2, M V Zelaya Huerta3, L Moreno Eguinoa4, F García-Bragado5, T Tuñón Álvarez5, J J Roldán Larreta4. 1. Servicio de Geriatría, Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España. Electronic address: beatrizgrandal@hotmail.com. 2. Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. 3. Navarrabiomed Fundación Miguel Servet, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra Osasunbidea, Pamplona, España. 4. Clínica Psicogeriátrica Josefina Arregui , Alsasua, Navarra, España. 5. Departamento de Anatomía Patológica, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra Osasunbidea, Pamplona, España.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The aim of our study is to describe the types of dementia found in a series of patients and to estimate the level of agreement between the clinical diagnosis and post-mortem diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a descriptive analysis of the prevalence of the types of dementia found in our series and we established the level of concordance between the clinical and the post-mortem diagnoses. The diagnosis was made based on current diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: 114 cases were included. The most common clinical diagnoses both at a clinical and autopsy level were Alzheimer disease and mixed dementia but the prevalence was quite different. While at a clinical level, prevalence was 39% for Alzheimer disease and 18% for mixed dementia, in the autopsy level, prevalence was 22% and 34%, respectively. The agreement between the clinical and the autopsy diagnoses was 62% (95% CI 53-72%). CONCLUSIONS: Almost a third of our patients were not correctly diagnosed in vivo. The most common mistake was the underdiagnosis of cerebrovascular pathology.
INTRODUCTION: The aim of our study is to describe the types of dementia found in a series of patients and to estimate the level of agreement between the clinical diagnosis and post-mortem diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a descriptive analysis of the prevalence of the types of dementia found in our series and we established the level of concordance between the clinical and the post-mortem diagnoses. The diagnosis was made based on current diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: 114 cases were included. The most common clinical diagnoses both at a clinical and autopsy level were Alzheimer disease and mixed dementia but the prevalence was quite different. While at a clinical level, prevalence was 39% for Alzheimer disease and 18% for mixed dementia, in the autopsy level, prevalence was 22% and 34%, respectively. The agreement between the clinical and the autopsy diagnoses was 62% (95% CI 53-72%). CONCLUSIONS: Almost a third of our patients were not correctly diagnosed in vivo. The most common mistake was the underdiagnosis of cerebrovascular pathology.