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Integrated multidisciplinary diagnostic approach for dementia care: randomised controlled trial

Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, University Hospital, and Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychology, Maastricht University

Alfons Kessels, MD, MSc and Carmen D. Dirksen, PhD

Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, University Hospital, Maastricht

Johan L. Severens, PhD

Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, University Hospital, and Department of Health Organisation, Policy & Economics, Maastricht University

Frans R. J. Verhey, PhD, MD

Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Correspondence: Professor F. R. J. Verhey, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University Hospital of Maastricht/Alzheimer Centre Limburg, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands. Email: f.verhey{at}np.unimaas.nl

Declaration of interest

None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background

An integrated multidisciplinary approach to dementia is often recommended but has rarely been evaluated.

Aims

To evaluate the clinical effects of an integrated multidisciplinary diagnostic facility for psychogeriatric patients.

Method

Patients suspected of having complex psychogeriatric problems were randomly allocated to the intervention (n=137) or to treatment as usual (n=93). They were assessed at baseline, and at 6 months and 12 months follow-up by means of personal interviews with the patient's proxy. The primary outcome was health-related quality of life, assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) of the EuroQd measure, EQ–5D.

Results

Health-related quality of life had improved at 6 months in the intervention group, whereas that of the control group had decreased. Furthermore, more patients in the intervention group experienced a clinically relevant improvement of 10 points or more on the VAS at both follow-up measurements.

Conclusions

An integrated multidisciplinary approach improves dementia care.

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Highlights of this issue

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BJP 2008 192: A14. [Full Text]  

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				S. V. McNulty, G. A. Jackson, and A. J. Pelosi Integrated multidisciplinary diagnostic approach for dementia The British Journal of Psychiatry, September 1, 2008; 193(3): 257 - 257. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Jha Integrated multidisciplinary approach for dementia care The British Journal of Psychiatry, July 1, 2008; 193(1): 79 - 79. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Butler The carers of people with dementia BMJ, June 7, 2008; 336(7656): 1260 - 1261. [Full Text] [PDF]

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