Table 1. Baseline patient characteristics.

	All patients n. 169	Application for the appointment of a legal proxy		p
		Yes (n. 78)	No (n. 91)
Mean age (years)	79±7.2	79±7.7	80±6.7	0.18
Female (%)	66.3	67.9	64.8	0.67
Mean duration of disease (years)	1.9±2.0	2.3±2.2	1.6±1.8	0.02
Alzheimer's disease (%)	77.5	80.8	74.7	0.35
Education (years)	6.7±4.2	7.2±4.2	6.3±4.3	0.18
Number of children	2.0±1.5	1.8±1.4	2.1±1.5	0.11
Civil status (% Married)	54.4	56.4	52.7	0.63
Caregiver (%)Son/daughterSpouseOther family memberCare workerOther	56.237.92.40.63.0	56.437.22.6-3.8	56.038.52.21.12.2	0.86
Presence of a care worker (%)	36.7	42.3	31.9	0.16
Mean MMSE score	16.8±5.8	16.4±5.3	17.1±6.1	0.37
Mean ADL score	3.6±1.9	3.4±1.9	3.7±1.9	0.36
Mean IADL score	1.9±1.8	1.9±1.8	2.0±1.8	0.76
Use of antipsychotic drugs (%)	13.6	16.7	11.0	0.28
Use of AChE-Is (%)	47.3	52.6	42.9	0.21
Use of antidepressant drugs (%)	27.2	26.9	27.5	0.94
Use of benzodiazepine (%)	16.0	14.1	17.6	0.54
Use of memantine (%)	9.5	15.4	4.4	0.02
Aggression (%)	41.4	43.6	39.6	0.60
Psychosis (%)	28.4	25.6	30.8	0.46
Insomnia (%)	20.7	16.7	24.2	0.23

MMSE: Mini Mental State Examination.

ADL: Activity of Daily Living.

IADL: Instrumental Activity of Daily Living.

AChE-Is: Cholinesterase Inhibitors.