Highlights
- •Patients with dementia are at higher risk of gait disorders in the short to medium term.
- •This study found a significant relation between functional mobility and risk of 12-month mortality in elderly patients with dementia.
- •It seems advisable to screen for gait disorders early in patients with dementia.
Abstract
Objective
To investigate whether functional mobility is a predictor of 12-month mortality in
elderly subjects with dementia.
Study design
Prospective multicentre study performed in nine French university hospitals. Patients
aged 75 years or more and hospitalised in medical wards via the emergency department
were eligible. Those with a diagnosis of dementia were considered in the analyses.
Main outcome measures
Patients’ characteristics obtained through comprehensive geriatric assessment performed
during the first week of hospitalisation. Functional mobility was assessed using the
timed “Up & Go” test. The main outcome was time to death within the 12 months of follow-up.
Bivariable relationships between each risk factor and mortality were assessed using
a Cox regression model with one explanatory variable. For multivariable analysis,
the Cox regression model was used in a stepwise method after examining potential confounders
and interactions.
Results
In all, 589 patients had a diagnosis of dementia, and were considered in the present
analyses. Their mean age was 86 ± 6 years and most (69%) were female. The prevalence of functional mobility disorders
was 86%. After 12 months, 232 (39%) had died. After adjustment for potential confounders,
functional mobility was associated with a significantly higher risk of 12-month mortality
(HR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.02–2.71; p = 0.04).
Conclusions
Impaired functional mobility as assessed by the timed Up & Go test identifies subjects
with dementia at risk of unfavourable outcome.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 03, 2017
Accepted:
June 29,
2017
Received in revised form:
May 11,
2017
Received:
December 26,
2016
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
