J Korean Geriatr Soc.  2014 Mar;18(1):16-23. 10.4235/jkgs.2014.18.1.16.

One-Year Follow-up Pilot Study for Dementia Diagnosis in Elderly with Recall Score of 0 in Korean-version of Mini-Mental State Examination

• Hong YJ
• Yang DW
• Yoon B
• Shim YS
• Cho AH
• Han IW
• Moon MS

• KMID: 1958595
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4235/jkgs.2014.18.1.16

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The early stage of Alzheimer disease might show early memory impairment with normal general cognitive function. Our study aimed to investigate elderly with normal Korean version of mini-mental state examination (K-MMSE) score and recall score of 0 for 1 year. We predicted that the patients would show different characteristics and would progress more rapidly compared with normal controls.
METHODS
This study was based on the data from complete enumeration survey of Mapo-gu Regional Center for Dementia in 2009. We divided all subjects into three groups: subjects with normal K-MMSE scores and recall score of 0 were group 1-1 (n=152), subjects with abnormal K-MMSE scores were group 1-2 (n=64) and subjects with normal K-MMSE scores and recall score of 1 to 3 were group 1-3 (n=941). We compared basic demographics and social characteristics among the three groups. After 1 year (2010), the subjects in group 1-1 (90 out of 152) underwent follow-up examinations for dementia diagnosis. They were also divided into three groups (2-1, 2-2, 2-3) according to K-MMSE and recall scores.
RESULTS
Group 1-1 showed different baseline characteristics compared with normal controls. After 1 year, 25.5% (23 out of 90) of the group 2-1 were diagnosed as mild cognitive impairment (n=16) or dementia (n=7).
CONCLUSION
Our study suggested that subjects with normal K-MMSE scores but recall score of 0 are not entirely "normal". Further detailed evaluation might be needed if memory impairment is suspicious although the K-MMSE scores are within normal range.

Keyword

K-MMSE; Memory recall; Enumeration survey; Dementia

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Alzheimer Disease
Dementia*
Demography
Diagnosis*
Follow-Up Studies*
Humans
Memory
Mild Cognitive Impairment
Pilot Projects*
Reference Values
Sociology