Associated physical disease in a demented population

Clinical experience indicates that physical diseases are probably underdiag nosed in patients suffering from dementia. We investigated the prevalence o f physical diseases in patients with different types of dementia by means o f a retrospective patient record survey including 236 inpatients and outpat ients referred for dementia evaluation to the Dementia Investigation Unit, University Hospital in Linkoping during 1994. Forty-four patients had demen tia of the Alzheimer type, 78 had vascular dementia. 28 had dementia due to multiple etiologies, 42 were not demented, and 44 patients could not be cl assified by the DSM TV criteria. The physical diseases were registered as s eparate diagnoses comprising all newly-diagnosed physical diseases and prev iously known diseases that had exacerbated and contributed to the medical c ontact. Sixty-four percent of the patients had previously unknown physical diseases and/or exacerbation of previously known diseases. The most common physical conditions were cobalamin deficiency and infectious diseases, whic h occurred in 27% and 24% of the patients, respectively. There was no diffe rence in the number or kinds of diagnoses between the diagnostic groups. As sociated physical diseases were underdiagnosed in patients referred for dem entia evaluation. We suggest that thorough medical investigation and adequa te treatment are of importance in the management of dementia. (C) 1998, Edi trice Kurtis.