Skip to main page content

• HOME
• Current
• Archive
• Feedback
• Subscribe
• Help

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by KAY, D. W.K. Articles by NEWENS, A. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by KAY, D. W.K. Articles by NEWENS, A. J.

Long-term survival, place of death, and death certification in clinically diagnosed pre-senile dementia in northern England

Follow-up after 8-12 years

Visiting Professor to the Department of Psychiatry, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

DONALD P. FORSTER, FRCPsych

Northumberland Mental Health Trust, St George's Hospital, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 2NU

ANDREW J. NEWENS, PhD, formerly Research Associate

Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Correspondence: Professor D.W.K. Kay, 8 Grosvenor Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 2RE. Tel: 0191 281 0249; e-mail: david.kay{at}care4free.net

Declaration of interest Research grants were provided by the Northern Region Locally Organised Research Scheme and by the Medical Research Council.

Background Information on survival and cause of death in pre-senile dementia is scarce and the organisation of services controversial.

Aims To study survival, place of death and death certification in pre-senile dementia.

Method Patients aged 45-64 were identified from hospital and community sources in the Northern health region (1985-89) and classified as having presenile dementia of Alzheimer type (PDAT) or pre-senile vascular dementia (PVD) by applying an algorithm to case notes. Deaths were ascertained from the National Health Service Central Registry (NHSCR) to 31 December 1998. Survival analysis was performed using the SPSS/PC program, and expected survival calculated from life tables.

Results Median survival time from diagnosis was 6.08 years and did not differ significantly in PDAT and PVD, or by age or gender; 19.3% of deaths occurred at home, 24.5% in nursing or residential homes and 56.3% in hospital; 72.4% of the death certificates mentioned dementia or Alzheimer's disease; 15.4% were still alive.

Conclusions Pre-senile dementia has a variable but usually chronic course, requiring appropriate planning and services.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. F. Mendez, A. M. McMurtray, E. A. Licht, and R. E. Saul Frontal-executive Versus Posterior-perceptual Mental Status Deficits in Early-onset Dementias American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, June 1, 2009; 24(3): 220 - 227. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A Bruandet, F Richard, S Bombois, C A Maurage, V Deramecourt, F Lebert, P Amouyel, and F Pasquier Alzheimer disease with cerebrovascular disease and vascular dementia: clinical features and course compared with Alzheimer disease J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, February 1, 2009; 80(2): 133 - 139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Huss, A. Spoerri, M. Egger, M. Roosli, and for the Swiss National Cohort Study Residence Near Power Lines and Mortality From Neurodegenerative Diseases: Longitudinal Study of the Swiss Population Am. J. Epidemiol., January 15, 2009; 169(2): 167 - 175. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. Kelley, B. F. Boeve, and K. A. Josephs Young-Onset Dementia: Demographic and Etiologic Characteristics of 235 Patients Arch Neurol, November 1, 2008; 65(11): 1502 - 1508. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Noone Monitor Occup. Med., August 1, 2008; 58(5): 380 - 381. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. M Garcia, A. Sisternas, and S. P. Hoyos Occupational exposure to extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields and Alzheimer disease: a meta-analysis Int. J. Epidemiol., April 1, 2008; 37(2): 329 - 340. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Roosli Commentary: Epidemiological research on extremely low frequency magnetic fields and Alzheimer's disease--biased or informative? Int. J. Epidemiol., April 1, 2008; 37(2): 341 - 343. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. Hughes, D. Jolley, A. Jordan, and E. L. Sampson Palliative care in dementia: issues and evidence Adv. Psychiatr. Treat., July 1, 2007; 13(4): 251 - 260. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Other articles noted Evid. Based Ment. Health, February 1, 2001; 4(1): 8 - 8. [Full Text]

				M.C. Dale Need for neuropathological studies in pre-senile dementia The British Journal of Psychiatry, December 1, 2000; 177 (6): 565a - 566a. [Full Text]