Long-term treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease in primary and secondary care: results from an international survey.

AbstractObjective:The International Outcomes Survey in Dementia (IOSID) was initiated to observe the effects of current standard of care for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) on patient outcomes and caregiver burden in a real-life setting.Research design and methods:This 2-year, international, prospective, longitudinal and observational cohort survey involved patients with mild-to-moderate AD (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] scores of 10–26 points) living in an ordinary household at baseline. There was no intervention with regard to patient management. Primary informal caregivers were also included in the survey.Main outcome measures:Patient parameters assessed included the MMSE, Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Caregiver burden was evaluated with the Zarit Burden Interview and caregiver distress was assessed as part of the NPI. Adverse events (AEs) were monitored.Results:Of 2288 patients recruited, 1382 (60.4%) completed the sur...