Screening of cognitive impairment by general internists using two simple instruments.

Area of Science:

• Geriatrics
• Neurology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• General internists often miss cognitive impairment in older adults due to time constraints or lack of familiarity with screening tools.
• Early detection of cognitive decline is crucial for timely intervention and management in the elderly population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of simple screening instruments for identifying cognitive impairment in elderly patients.
• To assess the sensitivity and specificity of the combined use of the Category Fluency Test (CFT) and the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ).

Main Methods:

• A previous study involved 248 elderly patients (≥65 years) seen by general internists.
• Cognitive status was initially assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination and/or the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (short-IQCODE).
• This study evaluated the combined performance of the CFT and FAQ as screening tools for cognitive impairment.

Main Results:

• The combined use of the CFT and FAQ demonstrated a sensitivity of 88.3% for screening cognitive impairment.
• The specificity of the combined CFT and FAQ for cognitive impairment screening was 76.5% in the evaluated sample.

Conclusions:

• The Category Fluency Test (CFT) and Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) are simple, easily administered tools.
• These instruments show high sensitivity and acceptable specificity, making them potentially valuable for screening cognitive impairment in elderly patients within outpatient settings.