Table 5. Top Three Two-Item Screen for Normal/MCI and Persons With Dementia^*.

Test Item 1	Test Item 2	Normal/MCI Patients (n=145)					Dementia Patients (n=56)
		Item Positive (%)†	Sensitivity (95% CI)	Specificity (95% CI)	LR	LR−	Item Positive (%)†	Sensitivity (95% CI)	Specificity (95% CI)	LR	LR−
What is the day of the week?	Months backwards	36	0.86 (0.57-0.98)	0.69 (0.60-0.77)	2.74	0.21	77	0.96 (0.82-1)	0.43 (0.24-0.63)	1.69	0.08
What is the day of the week?	Four digits backwards	54	0.93 (0.66-1)	0.5 (0.42-0.59)	1.87	0.14	77	0.93 (0.76-0.99)	0.39 (0.22-0.59)	1.53	0.18
Four digits backwards	Months backwards	61	0.93 (0.66-1)	0.43 (0.34-0.52)	1.62	0.17	77	0.93 (0.76-0.99)	0.39 (0.22-0.59)	1.53	0.18

NOTE: Participants with learning problems (1) grouped with dementia and MCI participants (44) grouped with normal. Number of patients with delirium =28. Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; LR, likelihood ratio; MCI, mild cognitive impairment.

^*Top 3 items: our primary criterion for determining this was sensitivity, with a secondary criterion of specificity in the case of ties. Items are listed in descending order on this basis.

^†Screen positive: error, do not know, or no response.