Table 1.
Characteristics, scoring and prevalence of dementia/AD in studies carried out in Italy
| First author and year of publication | Year of survey | Area of investigation | Type of dementia(s) | Age (years) |
Sample size Score |
Design Score | Response proportion Score |
Diagnostic assessment Score | Total score | Prevalence of dementia | Diagnostic criteria tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocca, 1990 [9] | 1987 | Appignano (Macerata) | D (AD+MID+MD) | >59 | 778 Score: 1 |
Two-phase design with negative screen Score: 1 |
96 % Score: 3 |
AMT + MMSE+ Blessed-Roth+CE+IN Score: 3 |
8 | 6.2 % (2.6 % AD) |
NINCDS-ADRDA HIS |
| ILSA, 1997 [10] | 1992–1993 | 8 municipalities |
Any type | 65–84 | 5632/5462 (total/eligible) Score: 2 |
Two-phase design with negative screen Score: 1 |
84-64 %a
Score: 3 |
IN + CE (MMSE/ADL/IADL) Score: 3 |
9 | 7.2 % F 5.3 % M |
DSM-III-R NINCDS-ADRDA ICD-10 |
| Prencipe, 1996 [11] | 1992–1993 | Aquila Province |
D (AD+VaD+ODD) |
>64 | 1147 Score: 1 |
Two-phase design with negative screen Score: 1 |
84.4 % Score: 3 |
MMSE/MSQ + CE + IN + disability assessment Score: 4 |
9 | 8.0 % (5.2 % AD) |
NINCDS-ADRDA NINDS-AIREN HIS |
| De Ronchi, 1998 [12] | 1991 | Granarolo (Ravenna) | AD + VaD + M D |
≥61 | 557 (481 completers) Score: 1 |
Two-phase design with no negative Score: 0 |
86.4 % Score: 3 |
MMSE/GDS + CE + IN + ADL Score: 2 |
6 | 11.1 % | DSM III R |
| Benedetti, 2002 [13] | 1996 | Buttapietra (Verona) |
AD + VaD | >74 | 238 Score: 0.5 |
One-phase design Score: 2 |
93.3 % Score: 3 |
MMSE + CE + IN + ADL Score: 3 |
8.5 | 15.8 % (6.7 % AD) |
HIS NINCDS-ADRDA DSM-III-R |
| Ferini-Strambi, 1997 [14] | 1991 | Vescovato (Cremona) |
AD + VaD + MD + SeD | >59 | 856 (673 responders) Score: 1 |
Two-phase design with no negative Score: 0 |
79 % Score: 2 |
AMT + CE Score: 2 |
5 | 9.8 % (5.2 % AD) |
NINCDS-ADRDA NINDS-AIREN |
| D’Alessandro, 1996 [15] | 1992 | Troina (Enna) | D (VaD) | >74 | 365 Score: 0.5 |
Two-phase design with negative screen Score: 1 |
95 % Score: 3 |
MMSE + CE + CDR Score: 3 |
7.5 | 21.9 % | DSM-III-R HIS |
| Azzimondi, 1998 [16] | 1992–1994 | 2 Sicilian Communities (data on S. Agata Militello) |
D (VaD) | >74 | 408 Score: 1 |
Two-phase design with negative screen Score: 1 |
93 % Score: 3 |
MMSE + CE + CDR Score: 3 |
8 | 28.4 % | DSM-III-RHIS |
| Cristina, 2001 [17] | 1992–1993 | Pavia Province | D | >65 (40 % 65–69 and all >70) |
2442 Score: 1.5 |
Two-phase design with negative sample Score: 1 |
68 % Score: 2 |
MMSE + IN + CE Score: 3 |
7.5 | 11.8 % | DSM-III-R |
| Tognoni, 2005 [18] | 2000 | Pisa Province (Vecchiano) |
VaD + AD+ LBD + MCI | >65 | 2366 Score: 1.5 |
Two-phase design with indirect sample of negative screen |
68 % Score: 2 |
MMSE/CDR/CAMDEX + C E+ IN + ADL Score: 3 |
7.5 | 6.2 % (4.2 % AD) | NINCDS-ADRDA HIS LBD MCADRC DSM-IV |
| Lucca, 2011 [19] | 2002–2010 | Monzino (Varese) | D (AD) | ≥80 (80–100) |
2316 Score: 1.5 |
One-phase design Score: 2 |
88 % Registered Score: 3 |
MMSE/BIMC/CDR + CE + IN+ disability assessment Score: 4 |
10.5 | 32 % | DSM-IV |
| Ravaglia,1999 [20] | 1994–1995 | Bologna + Ravenna provinces |
AD + VaD | ≥100 | 154 Score: 0.5 |
One-phase design Score: 2 |
65 % Score: 2 |
MMSE + CE + IN+ disability assessment Score: 3 |
7.5 | 61.9 % (48.9 % AD) |
DSM-IV NINCDS-ADRDA ICD 10 |
| Spada, 2009 [21] | 2005–2006 | San Teodoro (Enna) |
AD + VaD + Others | 60–85 | 374 Score: 0.5 |
Two-phase design with no negative screen sample Score: 0 |
74.9 % Score: 2 |
MMSE + CE + IN+ disability assessment Score: 3 |
5.5 | 7.1 % (4.1 % AD) |
DSM IV NINCDS-ADRDA NINDS-AIREN |
| Ravaglia, 2002 [22] | 1999–2000 | Conselice (Ravenna) | AD + VaD | 65–97 | 1353 Score: 1 |
Two-phase design with negative screen sample Score: 1 |
75 % Score: 2 |
MMSE + CE + IN+ disability Assessment Score: 3 |
7 | 5.9 % (3.0 % AD) |
DSM-IV NINCDS-ADRDA NINDS-AIREN |
| Ferrucci, 2000 [24] | 1998 | Greve in Chianti + Bagno a Ripoli (Florence) |
D and AD | >65–90+ | 1260 Score: 1 |
Two-phase design with negative screen Score: 1 |
91.6 %b
Score: 3 |
MMSE + CE + IN+ disability assessment Score: 3 |
8 | 7.1 % (3.6 % AD)d | DSM-III-R NINCDS-ADRDA |
| Di Bari, 1999 [25] | 1995 | Dicomano (Florence) | D and AD | >65–90+ | 864 Score: 1 |
Two-phase design with negative screen Score: 0 |
91.2 %b
Score: 3 |
MMSEc + MODA + CE + BADL Score: 3 |
7 | 9.0 % (5.2 % AD)d |
Unknown |
General: F females, M males, NA not available
Type of dementia and other diseases: AD Alzheimer Disease, D Dementia, LBD Lewy Body Dementia, MCI Mild Cognitive Impairment, MD Mixed Dementia, MID Multi-Infarct Dementia, ODD Other Dementing Diseases, SeD Secondary Dementia, VaD Vascular Dementia
Area of investigation: SAM community of Sant’Agata Militello
Diagnostic assessment score: ADL Activities of Daily Living, AMT Abbreviated Mental Test, BADL Bristol Activities of Daily Living, BIMC Blessed Information Memory Concentration, CAMDEX Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination, CDR Clinical Dementia Rating, CE Clinical Examination, GDS Global Deterioration Scale, IADL Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, IN Interview, MDS Minimum Data Set, MMSE Mini-Mental State Examination, MODA Milan Overall Dementia Assessment, MSQ Mental Status Questionnaire
Diagnostic criteria tools: DSM Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, HIS Hachinski Ischemic Score, ICD International Classification of Diseases, MCADRC Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, NINCDS-ADRDA National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, NINDS-AIREN National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke-Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l’Enseignment en Neurosciences, RPM Raven Progressive Matrix
aResponse rates for personal interview and clinical evaluation, respectively
bCalculated on those who were traceable
cMMSE and adjustment tests when score falls between 22 and 25