About a quarter of elderly patients without signs of cognitive impairment fail invited cognitive screens in primary care settings, according to a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines say there is insufficient information to make a recommendation on such screening.
Veterans Affairs researchers offered screening to some 8000 veterans aged 70 and older without signs of cognitive impairment. About one quarter failed the 3-minute screening with Mini-Cog during the course of a routine primary care visit. In that group, those who agreed to further screening had impairment confirmed over 90% of the time.
The authors note that their approach identified cognitive impairment in roughly 10% of patients, versus 4% with traditional clinical discovery based on patients’ symptoms.
The authors say that screening should be considered for all older adults, despite the lack of effective treatment. Such early warnings, they say, could avoid problems with driving, financial mismanagement, and social isolation.
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