Survival in a population-based cohort of dementia patients: Predictors andcauses of mortality

Objectives. To examine predictors of survival time and causes of mortality in a population-based cohort of demented subjects. Design. Longitudinal naturalistic follow-up study. Setting. A rural area in The Netherlands. Participants. The study population consisted of 102 demented subjects deriv ed from a population-based, two-stage prevalence study of dementia among su bjects aged 65 and over. Measurements and analysis. Survival analysis was performed using the Realiz ed Probability of Dying as a measure of survival time. Adjustment for durat ion and severity at study entry was employed in all analyses. Results. A substantial excess mortality was present among demented subjects as compared with their nondemented birth cohort. Disorders related to deme ntia, such as cachexia, dehydration and pneumonia, were major causes of dea th. Variables related to severity of functional impairment, aphasia and a s horter duration at study entry predicted a shorter survival in the study po pulation. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.