ICD-10 MILD COGNITIVE-DISORDER - ITS OUTCOME 3 YEARS LATER

Objective. The aims were to (i) report the outcome of mild cognitive d isorder (MCD) 3.6 years after initial interview and diagnosis; (ii) id entify predictors of new cases of MCD. The hypotheses were that (i) pe rsons with MCD are more likely to develop dementia than those without MCD; (ii) symptoms of anxiety or depression predict MCD caseness at fo llow-up. Design. Longitudinal cohort study. Setting. Community of elde rly people (age 70-97 years). Participants. 612 of 897 elderly subject s (mean 76 years) were reinterviewed. Of the 36 MCD cases originially identified, 25 were available at follow-up. 24 incident cases of MCD w ere identified. Main outcome measures. ICD-10 dementia, DSM-III-R deme ntia, ICD 10 mild cognitive disorder diagnoses made by the Canberra In terview for the Elderly, tests of anxiety, depression, neuroticism and cognitive performance. Main results. Of the original 25 MCD cases ava ilable at follow-up, two had a diagnosis of MCD, and three had a diagn osis of both ICD-10 and DSM-III-R dementia. The prevalence of MCD and DSM-III-R dementia at follow-up was no greater for MCD cases diagnosed at initial interview than in normal subjects at initial interview. Th ere was, however, an increased prevalence of ICD-10 dementia among ori ginal MCD cases. At initial interview and at followup MCD cases were m ore anxious and depressed but had similar cognitive performance to nor mals. For incident cases of MCD the only significant predictor was age . Conclusions. MCD cannot be seen to be a specific forerunner of demen tia. Those with a diagnosis of MCD are distinguished more by their anx iety, depression and neuroticism than by their cognitive deficits. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.