Persistence and Prognostic Implications of Orthostatic Hypotension in Older Individuals with Mild-to-Moderate Dementia

• Published in: Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders extra Vol. 4; no. 2; pp. 283 - 296
• Main Authors: Soennesyn, Hogne, Dalen, Ingvild, Aarsland, Dag
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.01.2014; Karger Publishers
• Subjects: Dementia; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Original; Original Research Article; Orthostatic hypotension; Survival analysis; Survival analysis; Orthostatic hypotension; Dementia
• ISSN: 1664-5464; 1664-5464
• DOI: 10.1159/000363514

Aim: To study the course and prognostic implications of orthostatic hypotension (OH) in older individuals with mild-to-moderate dementia. Methods: Referrals to outpatient clinics specialising in old age psychiatry and geriatric medicine in the counties of Rogaland and Hordaland in western Norway with a first-time diagnosis of mild dementia were consecutively asked for inclusion. A total of 211 participants underwent a comprehensive baseline assessment with annual follow-ups. Patients with OH at both baseline and the 1-year follow-up were classified as having persistent OH. Outcome measures were the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Clinical Dementia Rating sum of boxes (CDR-SB), and time to death. Results: From baseline to the 4-year follow-up, 30-45% of the participants had OH at each follow-up. In multivariable analysis, persistent OH was not significantly associated with either the longitudinal course of MMSE or CDR-SB scores or survival. Conclusions: OH was moderately prevalent over 4 years in older individuals with mild dementia, and persistent OH did not predict either cognitive or functional decline or survival.