Christopher R Carpenter1, Jay Banerjee2,3, Daniel Keyes4,5, Debra Eagles6, Linda Schnitker7, David Barbic8, Susan Fowler9, Michael A LaMantia10. 1. Division of Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO. 2. Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK. 3. Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK. 4. Emergency Medicine, St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia, MI. 5. Michigan State University School of Osteopathic Medicine, East Lansing, MI. 6. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 7. School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. 8. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 9. Becker Medical Library, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO. 10. Geriatric Medicine, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dementia is underrecognized in older adult emergency department (ED) patients, which threatens operational efficiency, diagnostic accuracy, and patient satisfaction. The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine geriatric ED guidelines advocate dementia screening using validated instruments. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of sufficiently brief screening instruments for dementia in geriatric ED patients. A secondary objective was to define an evidence-based pretest probability of dementia based on published research and then estimate disease thresholds at which dementia screening is most appropriate. This systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42017074855). METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, DARE, and SCOPUS were searched. Studies in which ED patients ages 65 years or older for dementia were included if sufficient details to reconstruct 2 × 2 tables were reported. QUADAS-2 was used to assess study quality with meta-analysis reported if more than one study evaluated the same instrument against the same reference standard. Outcomes were sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-). To identify test and treatment thresholds, we employed the Pauker-Kassirer method. RESULTS: A total of 1,616 publications were identified, of which 16 underwent full text-review; nine studies were included with a weighted average dementia prevalence of 31% (range, 12%-43%). Eight studies used the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) as the reference standard and the other study used the MMSE in conjunction with a geriatrician's neurocognitive evaluation. Blinding to the index test and/or reference standard was inadequate in four studies. Eight instruments were evaluated in 2,423 patients across four countries in Europe and North America. The Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT-4) most accurately ruled in dementia (LR+ = 7.69 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 3.45-17.10]) while the Brief Alzheimer's Screen most accurately ruled out dementia (LR- = 0.10 [95% CI = 0.02-0.28]). Using estimates of diagnostic accuracy for AMT-4 from this meta-analysis as one trigger for more comprehensive geriatric vulnerability assessments, ED dementia screening benefits patients when the prescreening probability of dementia is between 14 and 36%. CONCLUSIONS: ED-based diagnostic research for dementia screening is limited to a few studies using an inadequate criterion standard with variable masking of interpreter's access to the index test and the criterion standard. Standardizing the geriatric ED cognitive assessment methods, measures, and nomenclature is necessary to reduce uncertainties about diagnostic accuracy, reliability, and relevance in this acute care setting. The AMT-4 is currently the most accurate ED screening instrument to increase the probability of dementia and the Brief Alzheimer's Screen is the most accurate to decrease the probability of dementia. Dementia screening as one marker of vulnerability to initiate comprehensive geriatric assessment is warranted based on test-treatment threshold calculations.
BACKGROUND:Dementia is underrecognized in older adult emergency department (ED) patients, which threatens operational efficiency, diagnostic accuracy, and patient satisfaction. The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine geriatric ED guidelines advocate dementia screening using validated instruments. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of sufficiently brief screening instruments for dementia in geriatric ED patients. A secondary objective was to define an evidence-based pretest probability of dementia based on published research and then estimate disease thresholds at which dementia screening is most appropriate. This systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42017074855). METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, DARE, and SCOPUS were searched. Studies in which ED patients ages 65 years or older for dementia were included if sufficient details to reconstruct 2 × 2 tables were reported. QUADAS-2 was used to assess study quality with meta-analysis reported if more than one study evaluated the same instrument against the same reference standard. Outcomes were sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-). To identify test and treatment thresholds, we employed the Pauker-Kassirer method. RESULTS: A total of 1,616 publications were identified, of which 16 underwent full text-review; nine studies were included with a weighted average dementia prevalence of 31% (range, 12%-43%). Eight studies used the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) as the reference standard and the other study used the MMSE in conjunction with a geriatrician's neurocognitive evaluation. Blinding to the index test and/or reference standard was inadequate in four studies. Eight instruments were evaluated in 2,423 patients across four countries in Europe and North America. The Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT-4) most accurately ruled in dementia (LR+ = 7.69 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 3.45-17.10]) while the Brief Alzheimer's Screen most accurately ruled out dementia (LR- = 0.10 [95% CI = 0.02-0.28]). Using estimates of diagnostic accuracy for AMT-4 from this meta-analysis as one trigger for more comprehensive geriatric vulnerability assessments, ED dementia screening benefits patients when the prescreening probability of dementia is between 14 and 36%. CONCLUSIONS: ED-based diagnostic research for dementia screening is limited to a few studies using an inadequate criterion standard with variable masking of interpreter's access to the index test and the criterion standard. Standardizing the geriatric ED cognitive assessment methods, measures, and nomenclature is necessary to reduce uncertainties about diagnostic accuracy, reliability, and relevance in this acute care setting. The AMT-4 is currently the most accurate ED screening instrument to increase the probability of dementia and the Brief Alzheimer's Screen is the most accurate to decrease the probability of dementia. Dementia screening as one marker of vulnerability to initiate comprehensive geriatric assessment is warranted based on test-treatment threshold calculations.
Authors: Natalie L Richmond; Sheryl Zimmerman; Bryce B Reeve; Joseph A Dayaa; Mackenzie E Davis; Samantha B Bowen; John A Iasiello; Rachel Stemerman; Rayad B Shams; Jason S Haukoos; Philip D Sloane; Debbie Travers; Laura A Mosqueda; Samuel A McLean; Timothy F Platts-Mills Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2020-01 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Christopher R Carpenter; Nada Hammouda; Elizabeth A Linton; Michelle Doering; Ugochi K Ohuabunwa; Kelly J Ko; William W Hung; Manish N Shah; Lee A Lindquist; Kevin Biese; Daniel Wei; Libby Hoy; Lori Nerbonne; Ula Hwang; Scott M Dresden Journal: Acad Emerg Med Date: 2020-12-12 Impact factor: 5.221
Authors: Laura C Blomaard; Corianne Speksnijder; Jacinta A Lucke; Jelle de Gelder; Sander Anten; Stephanie C E Schuit; Ewout W Steyerberg; Jacobijn Gussekloo; Bas de Groot; Simon P Mooijaart Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2020-04-04 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: H Afshar; S Khamse; F Alizadeh; A Delbari; R Najafipour; A Bozorgmehr; M Khazaei; F Adelirad; A Alizadeh; A Kowsari; M Ohadi Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2020-11-10 Impact factor: 4.379