%0 Journal Article %J J Alzheimers Dis %D 2016 %T Effect of Early Referral to Specialist in Dementia on Institutionalization and Functional Decline: Findings from a Population-Based Study. %A Pimouguet, Clément %A Le-Goff, Mélanie %A Rizzuto, Debora %A Berr, Claudine %A Leffondré, Karen %A Pérès, Karine %A Dartigues, Jean François %A Helmer, Catherine %K Activities of Daily Living %K Cognition Disorders %K Community Health Planning %K Dementia %K Disability Evaluation %K Female %K Finland %K Follow-Up Studies %K Humans %K Institutionalization %K Male %K Psychiatric Status Rating Scales %K Referral and Consultation %K Specialization %X

BACKGROUND: Although early diagnosis has been hypothesized to benefit both patients and caregivers, until now studies evaluating the effect of early dementia diagnosis are lacking.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of early specialist referral for dementia on the risk of institutionalization and functional decline in Activity of Daily Living (ADL).

METHODS: Incident dementia cases were screened in a prospective population-based cohort, the Three-City Study, and initial specialist consultation for cognitive complaint was assessed at dementia diagnosis. Proportional hazard regression and illness-death models were used to test the association between specialist referral and, respectively, institutionalization and functional decline.

RESULTS: Only one third of the incident individuals with dementia had consulted a specialist for cognitive problems early (36%). After adjustment on potential confounders (including cognitive and functional decline) and competing risk of death, participants who had consulted a specialist early in the disease course presented a higher rate of being institutionalized than those who did not (Hazard Ratio = 2.00, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.09- 3.64). But early specialist referral was not associated with further functional decline (HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.71- 1.67).

CONCLUSIONS: Early specialist referral in dementia is associated with increased risk of institutionalization but not with functional decline in ADL. These findings suggest that early care referral in dementia may be a marker of concern for patients and/or caregivers; subsequent medical and social care could be suboptimal or inappropriate to allow patients to stay longer at home.

%B J Alzheimers Dis %V 49 %P 819-28 %8 2016 %G eng %N 3 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26484926?dopt=Abstract %R 10.3233/JAD-150574