J Korean Soc Biol Ther Psychiatry.  2021 Feb;27(1):33-39.

The Long-Term Outcomes of Alzheimer’s Disease Patients Treated with Anti-Dementia Medications According to Baseline Dementia Severity

• Seo H
• Park Y
• Kwon I
• Kim JL

Abstract

Objectives
：To describe the differences in long-term outcomes in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients according to initial dementia severity.
Methods
：A retrospective chart review of AD patients from a dementia clinic at the University Hospital in Korea was conducted from April 2010 to March 2017. There were 168 patients enrolled, who were divided into three groups based on initial Clinical Dementing Rating (CDR). There were 55 in the very mild group (CDR=0.5 ; mean age 80.64±6.57), 93 in the mild group (CDR=1 ; mean age 80.57±7.28) and 20 in the moderate group (CDR=2 ; mean age 83.00±9.07). Participants were treated with donepezil±memantine. The observation period was 2.44±0.50 years. Cognitive function and severity of dementia were initially assessed by the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (CERAD-NP) and were annually assessed by Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), CDR and CDR-Sum of boxes (CDR-SB).
Results
：The annual decline rate of MMSE score was -0.82 and those of very mild, mild, moderate groups were -0.63, -0.80, -1.96 respectively, while the annual change in CDR-SB score was 0.98, very mild group 0.86, mild group 1.03, moderate group 1.26. Education level, male, initial CDR were found to be significant potential factors in the annual change in MMSE, while initial CDR was a significant potential factor in the annual change in CDR-SB.
Conclusion
：It is meaningful that we studied long-term outcomes of anti-dementia medications in real-world clinical setting. The higher the initial severity of AD, the higher the cognitive decline rate.

Keyword

Alzheimer disease; Nootropic agents; Mental status and dementia tests; Neuropsychological Tests.