Disability in instrumental activities of daily living in elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Background/aims: The aim is to examine disability in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in elderly persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), further to identify items of IADL which separate the two conditions and to explore potential gender differences.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 729 patients aged ≥65 years recruited from outpatient memory clinics. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used in the main analysis to explore the association between IADL and diagnosis.

Results and conclusions: We found an association between IADL and diagnosis, and a difference in the proportion of disability in IADL in patients with MCI and AD, i.e. 66 and 88%, respectively. Six of the 8 items revealed differences in the proportions of patients with IADL disability among MCI and AD. No substantial gender differences were found, except for laundry.