0 (1.94) years; overall, the patients in this cohort returned to the clinic for an average of 2.4 (1.64) visits. The cohort predominately was female (68%) and white (87%). Many participants were considering already using antidementia drugs prior to the initial visit (42.6%). The average baseline MMSE score was 19.5 (6.64), and the range was 0 to 30; the average baseline PSMS score was 7.9 (3.05), and the range was 6 to 25 (Table ?(Table11). Table 1 Population characteristics of patients with Alzheimer’s disease The assumption of proportionality is met when age, gender, severity, and baseline MMSE are included. Increasing age (hazard ratio = 1.03 per year, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.04), male gender (hazard ratio = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.31 to 2.26), and faster rate of cognitive decline at baseline as measured by the PPR category – hazard ratios were 0.
45 (slow versus rapid), 0.75 (slow versus intermediate), and 0.59 (intermediate versus rapid), and 95% CIs were 0.30 to 0.66, 0.54 to 1.04, and 0.43 to 0.82, respectively – were significantly associated with increased risk of death (Table ?(Table2).2). Severity of AD and medical comorbidities were not associated with survival in the univariate analysis or in the age- and gender-adjusted analysis. In the final model, race (white versus non-white), presence or history of medical comorbidities, baseline disease severity (mild or moderate versus severe stage disease), and years of formal education did not influence survival. The development of functional impairment in basic activities of daily living as measured by the PSMS was associated with significantly increased risk of death (hazard ratio = 1.
10, CI = 1.08 to 1.11) (Table ?(Table2).2). Time-dependent change in the use of either antidementia drugs or antipsychotic drugs, progression of disease severity measured by the MMSE, and the development of psychosis (hallucinations or delusions) did not influence survival in the final model. Table 2 Factors associated with increased Carfilzomib risk of death Discussion The median survival time of this cohort with probable AD diagnosis was 11.3 years from the onset of symptoms. This figure may overestimate the length of survival in AD since individuals with rapidly progressive illness may die before they obtain a diagnosis. Median survival time in a Canadian study that evaluated survival from the onset of symptoms of dementia found that patients with AD had a 3.1-year median survival time after kinase inhibitor Paclitaxel correction for the so-called length bias [22], but the population was much older than ours; the average age was 83.8 (7.03) years. Survival from onset of symptoms was not modified by white or non-white race or education.