Mougias A, Kotrotsou E, Pratila G
8th International Congress on Vascular Dementia & The First Cognitive Impairment European Meeting
In our study CB was greater for caregivers of patients with VD. This result is in line with Annerstedt et al. (2000). Vetter et al. (1999) found higher CB for VD in mild and moderate dementia, but the result reversed in severe dementia. Our results, do not replicate the later result. Disproportionate defect in basic ADL may be partly associated with this increased burden. More studies regarding the effect of dementia subtypes in patients and caregivers well being are needed. Effect of dementia subtype in QOL is still not clear. QOL may be worst in non AD patients (Allan et al. 2006) although this could not be shown in our small sample. Other limitations in our study is that cross sectional studies cannot provide definitive answers regarding cause and effect. Moreover our sample may not be representative of dementia community patients, as the study was conducted in a referral clinic. Quality of life, functional status and behavioral competence, were measured based on caregiver’s report and the results might have been be biased by caregivers’ factors.
