[Adaptation and normalization of the Alzheimer's disease Assessment Scale for Spain (NORMACODEM) (II)]

This report is part of a project for norming cognitive and functional instruments that assess dementia (NORMACODEM). To adapt and norm the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) for use in Spain. Two hundred fifty-four controls, 86 patients with minor memory/cognitive disorders without dementia (deterioration without dementia, DWD), 111 patients with Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD). Statistical description. Multivariate linear regression. Crossed validation. Internal consistency and test-retest (n = 48). The mean scores (SD) obtained were as follows.

ADAS-Cog = 8.0 (3.4), ADAS-Noncog = 2.9 (2.9), ADAS-Tot = 10.9 (4.6). DWD: ADAS-Cog = 11.37 (5.1), ADAS-Noncog = 4.9 (4.3), ADAS-Tot = 16.2 (7.0). ATD: ADAS-Cog = 31.8 (5.1), ADAS-Noncog = 10.3 (4.3), ADAS-Tot = 42.2 (20.7). Multiple regression analysis revealed that educational level and age were significantly associated with the ADAS-Cog score. The internal consistency of the ADAS-Cog was 0.963. The test-retest procedure yielded linear correlation, coefficients of 0.93 for the ADAS-Cog, 0.86 for the ADAS-Noncog and 0.95 for the ADAS-Tot. Age and educational level/schooling are associated to the earned on the ADAS-Cog instrument. The present Spanish version of the ADAS has high internal consistency and reproducibility. The instruments can be use for assessment in Spanish populations.