Objective. Examination of associated factors for vascular dementia in compa
rison with Alzheimer's disease and a non-demented control population.
Setting. A semi-rural geographically defined population, in Melton Mowbray
and the surrounding area, consisting of elderly patients aged 75 and over f
rom a 13-doctor general practice.
Method. 438 subjects, sampled according to results of initial screening wit
h the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), were examined using the Cambrid
ge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination (CAMDEX), which was also use
d to classify the subtypes of dementia.
Results. 34 subjects had vascular dementia, 222 had Alzheimer's disease and
140 were non-demented according to the clinician's diagnosis based on the
CAMDEX criteria. Significant factors associated with vascular dementia, whe
n compared to the Alzheimer's disease and non-demented groups, were family
history of stroke and diabetes. Stroke was also significant, but this facto
r is one of those defining the criteria for diagnostic grouping. There were
no significant differences between groups for falls, heart attack, hyperte
nsion, head injury, substance abuse or lipid levels.
Conclusion. The results are broadly consistent with the published literatur
e and emphasize the importance of diabetes as a key risk factor for vascula
r dementia. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.