Affiliations: [a] Department of Geriatric Research, Bethanien-Hospital/Geriatric Center at the University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| [b] Network Aging Research, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| [c] Department of Clinical Gerontology, Robert-Bosch Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany
| [d] Institute of Medical Biometry and Informatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Ilona Dutzi, Department of Geriatric Research; AGAPLESION Bethanien-Hospital, Rohrbacher Str. 149, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany. Tel.: +49 6221 319 1570;E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: Background:Dementia is a frequent diagnosis in geriatric rehabilitation. Studies in patients with dementia on the development of their cognitive status during rehabilitation and its relation to functional outcomes have been scarce. Objectives:To describe the changes in cognitive status in patients with dementia during inpatient rehabilitation and to determine its association with patient characteristics and rehabilitation outcome. Methods:Cohort study in a geriatric rehabilitation center with data collection at admission and discharge. Outcome measures were change in global and domain-related cognitive functioning and its association with activities of daily living (ADL) and discharge home. Results:154 patients (mean age 83.7 years) diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia were included. Cognitive performance significantly improved from admission to discharge for all cognitive variables tested (p < 0.001 to 0.03). Change in global cognitive functioning, executive functions, and episodic memory were positively associated with ADL recovery. Change in global cognitive functioning predicted ADL improvements (β= 0.32; p = 0.006). Only 7.8% of patients, characterized by worse ADL and motor abilities as well as higher frailty scores at admission, deteriorated in global cognitive scores. In comparison to patients with stable or improved cognition, these patients showed least improvements in ADL-scores (4.1 versus 12.5) and a trend for higher institutionalization (50% versus 26.5%). Conclusions:The findings highlight the potential of patients with dementia to recover cognitive functioning during rehabilitation. Cognitive change represents an independent rehabilitation outcome and a prognostic factor for successful rehabilitation suggesting that specific interventions are indicated to maintain and enhance cognitive functioning in these highly vulnerable patients.
