Outcome measures for Alzheimer's disease: A global inter-societal Delphi consensus

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Geriatrics
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Alzheimer's clinical syndrome requires standardized outcome measures for effective patient management.
• Current assessment tools may not fully capture the multifaceted nature of the disease and its impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide consensus-based guidance on priority outcomes and measurement instruments for patients with Alzheimer's clinical syndrome.
• To establish recommendations for assessing cognitive, functional, behavioral, and quality of life domains.

Main Methods:

• A consensus group of 20 voting members from professional societies utilized a Delphi approach.
• Modified GRADE criteria were applied to evaluate and rank outcomes and measures.
• Nine distinct domains were considered for outcome and measure selection.

Main Results:

• Consensus was achieved on 66 priority outcomes, 49 measures, and 37 statements.
• Recommendations cover cognitive abilities, functional abilities/dependency, behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms, and quality of life (patient and caregiver).
• Other ranked domains include healthcare/treatment outcomes, medical investigations, disease-related life events, and global outcomes.

Conclusions:

• This guidance assists clinicians in selecting appropriate measurement instruments for patients with cognitive impairment.
• Further development of feasible instruments is necessary to align with clinical routine constraints.