RETROSPECTIVE ESTIMATE OF THE NURSING COST OF AUTONOMY IMPAIRMENT ANDCOST-BENEFIT IN CLINICAL-TRIALS - FEASIBILITY AND APPLICATION OF PIRACETAM IN DEMENTED ELDERLY PATIENTS

The aims of this study were to determine whether the nursing costs of functional disability could be assessed retrospectively and, if so, wh ether this method was sensitive enough to show the influence of a trea tment on economic costs. Four studies were available for this purpose: three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trials m easuring, among others, the influence of piracetam on activities of da ily living (ADL) of elderly demented patients in Italy, Austria, and B elgium, and one large population-based survey measuring the costs of p roviding basic nursing, hygienic, and therapeutic needs to 6000 elderl y according to ADL scores. The items on the different ADL scales used in each trial were recoded to a common denominator, and an overall dep endency score was calculated for each patient. The survey data showed a highly significant linear correlation between ADL status and nursing expenses. Nursing costs of noninstitutionalized patients were calcula ted by assigning each patient