Self-Reported Cognitive Function in Persons with Nonneurological Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Cognitive science
• Patient outcomes

Background:

• Chronic conditions affect one in three adults globally.
• Non-neurological chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart failure are increasingly linked to cognitive symptoms.
• Current assessment tools for cognitive symptoms in these patients are inconsistent, hindering research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review associations between self-reported cognitive function, cognitive performance, and patient-reported outcomes in non-neurological chronic illness.
• To describe how cognitive symptoms are currently measured in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases for studies from 1990 to 2020.
• 304 articles were initially identified, with 32 meeting the inclusion criteria for the review.
• Quality assessment of included studies was performed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme.

Main Results:

• Thirty-two studies were included (20 cross-sectional, 10 longitudinal, 2 RCTs).
• A wide variety of 28 unique tools were used to assess self-reported cognitive function.
• While most studies found associations between self-reported cognitive function and other patient-reported outcomes, correlations with neuropsychological test results were inconsistent.

Conclusions:

• The heterogeneity of tools used to measure cognitive symptoms is a significant limitation.
• A standardized approach for measuring self-reported cognitive function in patients with non-neurological chronic illness is necessary.
• Standardization will facilitate cross-study comparisons and advance scientific understanding and progress.