Alzheimer Europe Conference
PO1.2 BREGOLA Allan - Apathy and use of Assistive Technology (AT) as predictors of
PO1.2. Apathy and use of Assistive Technology (AT) as predictors of functional performance in Alzheimer’s disease
BREGOLA Allan, TRUCCO Ana Paula, CAMINO Julieta, MIOSHI Eneida
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
Background: People with Alzheimer’s disease (PwAD) with marked apathy present with lower functional performance. However, it is not clear whether Assistive Technology (AT) could effectively help improve functional performance. We investigated whether and how apathy and use of AT influence PwAD’s performance, considering level of cognitive deficits.
Methods: Cross-sectional analyses including 99 PwAD. Cognitive deficits (Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-ACE-III; score range 0-100) were defined as Mild-moderate change (MMC:75-100), Moderate-severe change (MSC:39-74) and Severe-very severe change (SVSC:0-38). Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD) assessed Basic (BADL) and Instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living. Apathy frequency (absent;occasionally/often;frequently/very frequently) was identified through the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q). Information on use of AT included: use of a)Prompts&Reminders; b)Leisure; c)Communication; d)Safety devices. Binary regression models were used to explore the association between apathy (model 1) and use of AT (model 2) on low performance (<80%) of ADLs (BADLs and IADLs). Analysis was repeated for the three groups (cognitive scores).
Results: PwAD mean age was 78.4±6.6 years; 60% were male. Low performance on BADLs was high in all groups: MMC=45.8%; MSC=50% and SVSC=84.2%. Low performance on IADLs was greater: MMC=83.3%, MSC=90.7% and SVSC= 94.7%. In terms of AT, Prompts&Reminder devices were most commonly used (51.1%).
In the MSC, apathy (OR=5.0; 95%CI: 1.1-22.8) and use of Prompts&Reminders (OR=3.2; 95%CI: 1.0-9.9) were associated with low BADL but not with low IADL performance. Nevertheless, when both variables were included in the model, no association between apathy or AT use and BADL performance remained. No significant association was found between apathy or AT use and ADL performance in other groups.
Conclusion: Lower performance in BADLs appears to be associated with apathy and use of AT. However, these effects were seen only when variables were tested independently, suggesting that future research should investigate further the interaction between apathy, AT use and ADL performance.
PO1.2 BREGOLA Allan - Apathy and use of Assistive Technology (AT) as predictors of
PO1.2. Apathy and use of Assistive Technology (AT) as predictors of functional performance in Alzheimer’s disease
BREGOLA Allan, TRUCCO Ana Paula, CAMINO Julieta, MIOSHI Eneida
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
Background: People with Alzheimer’s disease (PwAD) with marked apathy present with lower functional performance. However, it is not clear whether Assistive Technology (AT) could effectively help improve functional performance. We investigated whether and how apathy and use of AT influence PwAD’s performance, considering level of cognitive deficits.
Methods: Cross-sectional analyses including 99 PwAD. Cognitive deficits (Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-ACE-III; score range 0-100) were defined as Mild-moderate change (MMC:75-100), Moderate-severe change (MSC:39-74) and Severe-very severe change (SVSC:0-38). Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD) assessed Basic (BADL) and Instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living. Apathy frequency (absent;occasionally/often;frequently/very frequently) was identified through the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q). Information on use of AT included: use of a)Prompts&Reminders; b)Leisure; c)Communication; d)Safety devices. Binary regression models were used to explore the association between apathy (model 1) and use of AT (model 2) on low performance (<80%) of ADLs (BADLs and IADLs). Analysis was repeated for the three groups (cognitive scores).
Results: PwAD mean age was 78.4±6.6 years; 60% were male. Low performance on BADLs was high in all groups: MMC=45.8%; MSC=50% and SVSC=84.2%. Low performance on IADLs was greater: MMC=83.3%, MSC=90.7% and SVSC= 94.7%. In terms of AT, Prompts&Reminder devices were most commonly used (51.1%).
In the MSC, apathy (OR=5.0; 95%CI: 1.1-22.8) and use of Prompts&Reminders (OR=3.2; 95%CI: 1.0-9.9) were associated with low BADL but not with low IADL performance. Nevertheless, when both variables were included in the model, no association between apathy or AT use and BADL performance remained. No significant association was found between apathy or AT use and ADL performance in other groups.
Conclusion: Lower performance in BADLs appears to be associated with apathy and use of AT. However, these effects were seen only when variables were tested independently, suggesting that future research should investigate further the interaction between apathy, AT use and ADL performance.