Incidence, clinical characteristics and treatment of Alzheimer's disease with depressive symptoms: data from the Girona Dementia Registry

Abstract

The aim was to determine the incidence of the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with depressive symptoms at onset (AD_Dep) and to analyse its characteristics. A cross-sectional study was carried out with data from the Girona Dementia Registry (2007-2014), which include the diagnostic identification of Alzheimer's disease (AD) according to the criteria of the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and its clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. Pharmacological consumption during the year of diagnosis was also obtained. A total of 2,643 cases with a diagnosis of AD were analysed, of which 261 were AD_Dep (9.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.7-11.0). Patients with AD_Dep were younger than the other AD cases (77.9 versus 80.5 years; Mann-Whitney U = 227,789).