Table 1.
Summary of studies examining the effect of lockdown in people living with dementia in the community.
| Studies with longitudinal data collection (pre and post lockdown). | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study | Country | Setting | N† | Measure used | Time of data collection | Decline in Cognition | Appearance or worsening of behavioral/psychological symptoms | Decline in ADL | Increase/addition pharmacological therapy | Quality Score (max 11) |
| Lara et la., 2020 12 | Spain | Outpatient clinic. | 40 MCI = 20 AD = 20 |
Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and EuroQol-5D question- naire (EQ-5D) NPI |
A month before lockdown and 5 weeks after. | NR | Total% NR NPI:33.75 (baseline)– 39.05 (post-lockdown) * (apathy most commonly reported) |
NR | NR | 6/8 § |
| Borges-Machado et al. [20] | Portugal | Community dwelling. | 36 | NPI Barthel Index . |
November 2019 and June 2020 (3 months after home confinement) | 80% | 44% NPI: 5.72 (pre-confinement) 10.25, (post-confinement) * |
Barthel Index: (pre-confinement) 92.92-(post-confinement) 88.33* | 11% (type of change not reported) |
7/9 § |
| Studies with one time point data collection (during or after lockdown) | ||||||||||
| Study | Country | Setting | N† | Measure used | Time of data collection | Decline in Cognition | Appearance or worsening of behavioural/psychological symptoms | ADL | Increase/addition pharmacological therapy | Quality score (max 8) |
| Baschi et al. [21] | Italy | Outpatient clinic. | PD-MCI: 31 MCI: 31 |
Semi-structured questionnaire NPI |
2 months before lockdown and immediately after end of lockdown | 45% (PD-MCI) 41% (MCI) |
Worsening of existing symptoms: 42% (PD-MCI) 38% (MCI) New symptoms: 42% (PD-MCI), 22% (MCI) |
Number of IADL lost (1.6 ± 1.8 (PD-MCI) Number of IADL lost 0.8 ± 1.2 (MCI) |
NR | 7 |
| Palermo et al. [22] |
Italy | Outpatient clinic. | PD–MCI: 10†† PDD: 8†† |
Structured questionnaire | After lockdown (June-July 2020) | PD-MCI: 80% PDD: 12% (difficulties with concentration) |
Total% NR Anxiety: 70% (PD–MCI) 50% (PDD) Sleep quality:20% (PD–MCI) 12% (PDD) |
5% | NR | 6 |
| Borelli et al. [23] | Brazil | Outpatient clinic. | 58 | NPI |
May to July 2020 | 53% | 48% (particularly apathy and depression) |
34% | 22% (mostly starting antipsychotics and benzodiazepine) |
6 |
| Boutoleau-Bretonniere et al. [24] | France | Outpatient clinic. |
38 (AD) |
NPI | Three months into lockdown | NR | 26% | NR | NR | 6 |
| Cagnin et al. [25] | Italy | Outpatient memory clinic. | 4913 | Structured interview |
1 month after beginning of quarantine |
NR | 59% Worsening of existing symptoms: 51% New onset of symptoms: 26% (Irritability, apathy, agitation most commonly reported) |
NR | 27% (type of change no reported) |
6 |
| Pogan et al. 26] | France | Community. | 389 | Survey | During the first lockdown (April to June 2020) | NR | 43% | NR | NR |
6 |
| Cohen et al. [27] | Argentina | Outpatient clinic. | 119 | Survey | First 8 weeks of lockdown. | NR | 60% (anxiety, depression and insomnia most common) |
NR | Antipsychotics: 20% Benzodiazepines: 15% Hypnotics: 6% Antidepressants: 10%. |
6 |
| Van Maurik et al. [28] | The Netherlands | Outpatient clinic. |
147 |
Survey | During April-July 2020 | 53% |
75% (Apathy, sleeping behaviour and repetitive behaviour were the most common) |
NR | NR | 5 |
| Barguilla et al. [29] |
Spain | Outpatient clinic. |
60 |
NPI CDR |
Between three and four months after lockdown | 60% |
65% (agitation, depression and anxiety were the most common) |
No changes in CDR | 21% (type of change no reported) |
5 |
| Canevelli et al. | Italy | Outpatient clinic. | 139 Dementia: 96 MCI: 43†† |
Survey |
During first month of lockdown. |
31% (memory and orientation) |
54% (agitation, apathy and depression were the most common) |
18% (dependence in personal care and housekeeping) |
7% (mostly introduction of antipsychotics) |
3/7§ |
| Tsapanou et al. [30] | Greece | Day centres and private neurological/psychiatric practices. | 204 |
Self-reported questionnaire | During lockdown (February to June 2020) | 61% (decline in communication) |
Total% NR (Mood, apathy and appetite most commonly reported) |
NR | NR | 2/7§ |
†N refers to people with dementia recruited but informants are caregivers unless specified otherwise, ††informants are patients/people living with cognitive impairment.
§Some of the items from the critical appraisal checklist not applicable, *Significant p value, NR: Not reported, NPI: Neuropsychiatric inventory, EQ-5D: EuroQol-5D, HADS: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, MCI: mild cognitive impairment, AD: Alzheimer's disease, PD-MCI: Parkinson disease with mild cognitive impairment, PDD: Parkinson disease dementia.