Survey on diagnosis and treatment of cognitive impairment in Sichuan area in China

IF 13 1区医学 Q1 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY

Alzheimer's & Dementia Pub Date : 2025-04-28 DOI:10.1002/alz.70203

Rui Gu, Hua Liu, Xiaoling Zhao, Xiaohai He, Qingyan Cai, Liang Gong, Xiaoling Song, Yao Xiong, Yan Huang, Linling Xu, Kemeng Wang, Na Cao, Mi Xiong, Xi Zhu, Qing Ye, Zheng Zhang, Ming Xian, Hu Zhang, Yan Liu

{"title":"Survey on diagnosis and treatment of cognitive impairment in Sichuan area in China","authors":"Rui Gu, Hua Liu, Xiaoling Zhao, Xiaohai He, Qingyan Cai, Liang Gong, Xiaoling Song, Yao Xiong, Yan Huang, Linling Xu, Kemeng Wang, Na Cao, Mi Xiong, Xi Zhu, Qing Ye, Zheng Zhang, Ming Xian, Hu Zhang, Yan Liu","doi":"10.1002/alz.70203","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> INTRODUCTION</h3>\n \n <p>Dementia imposes significant economic and emotional burdens, with cognitive impairment in China expected to rise. However, diagnosis and treatment remain inadequately standardized. This study surveyed cognitive impairment diagnosis and treatment in Sichuan, China.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> METHODS</h3>\n \n <p>A retrospective multicenter study analyzed inpatient records from 13 medical institutions over the past 5 years.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> RESULTS</h3>\n \n <p>Patients exhibited delayed medical care-seeking, primarily visiting tertiary hospitals, where diagnostic and treatment capabilities were superior. Alzheimer's disease (AD) was the most common diagnosis, with memory impairment as the predominant initial symptom. Both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments were insufficient.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> DISCUSSION</h3>\n \n <p>Findings underscore the need to enhance health education, allocate more diagnostic and intervention resources, and strengthen primary healthcare to improve care quality for patients with cognitive impairment in Sichuan.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Highlights</h3>\n \n <div>\n <ul>\n \n <li>The prevalence of cognitive impairment in China is expected to surge significantly. Despite this trend, the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disease in China remain unstandardized.</li>\n \n <li>A multicenter retrospective study of inpatient records with cognitive impairment or dementia as the first diagnosis treated at 13 medical facilities across Sichuan Province over the past 5 years was performed.</li>\n \n <li>The analysis revealed a pattern of delayed medical care-seeking among patients who predominantly accessed tertiary hospitals. Alzheimer's disease (AD) emerged as the most common diagnosis. Memory impairment was identified as the most frequent initial symptom. Tertiary hospitals demonstrated superior diagnostic and treatment capabilities compared to non-tertiary institutions. In addition, the results revealed that the patients received fewer pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments.</li>\n \n <li>The findings highlight the urgent need for the Sichuan region to strengthen health education on cognitive impairment, allocate more diagnostic and intervention resources, and enhance primary healthcare capabilities to improve the quality of care and life for patients with cognitive impairment.</li>\n </ul>\n </div>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":7471,"journal":{"name":"Alzheimer's & Dementia","volume":"21 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/alz.70203","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Alzheimer's & Dementia","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.70203","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CLINICAL NEUROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Dementia imposes significant economic and emotional burdens, with cognitive impairment in China expected to rise. However, diagnosis and treatment remain inadequately standardized. This study surveyed cognitive impairment diagnosis and treatment in Sichuan, China.

METHODS

A retrospective multicenter study analyzed inpatient records from 13 medical institutions over the past 5 years.

RESULTS

Patients exhibited delayed medical care-seeking, primarily visiting tertiary hospitals, where diagnostic and treatment capabilities were superior. Alzheimer's disease (AD) was the most common diagnosis, with memory impairment as the predominant initial symptom. Both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments were insufficient.

DISCUSSION

Findings underscore the need to enhance health education, allocate more diagnostic and intervention resources, and strengthen primary healthcare to improve care quality for patients with cognitive impairment in Sichuan.

Highlights

The prevalence of cognitive impairment in China is expected to surge significantly. Despite this trend, the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disease in China remain unstandardized.
A multicenter retrospective study of inpatient records with cognitive impairment or dementia as the first diagnosis treated at 13 medical facilities across Sichuan Province over the past 5 years was performed.
The analysis revealed a pattern of delayed medical care-seeking among patients who predominantly accessed tertiary hospitals. Alzheimer's disease (AD) emerged as the most common diagnosis. Memory impairment was identified as the most frequent initial symptom. Tertiary hospitals demonstrated superior diagnostic and treatment capabilities compared to non-tertiary institutions. In addition, the results revealed that the patients received fewer pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments.
The findings highlight the urgent need for the Sichuan region to strengthen health education on cognitive impairment, allocate more diagnostic and intervention resources, and enhance primary healthcare capabilities to improve the quality of care and life for patients with cognitive impairment.

Abstract Image

查看原文本刊更多论文

中国四川地区认知功能障碍的诊断与治疗调查

痴呆症给中国带来了巨大的经济和情感负担，认知障碍患者预计将增加。然而，诊断和治疗仍然不够标准化。本研究调查了中国四川省认知障碍的诊断和治疗情况。方法采用回顾性多中心研究方法，对13家医疗机构近5年的住院病例进行分析。结果患者就诊时间较晚，以三级医院为主，三级医院诊疗能力较好。阿尔茨海默病（AD）是最常见的诊断，记忆障碍是主要的初始症状。药物和非药物治疗均不充分。研究结果强调需要加强健康教育，分配更多的诊断和干预资源，加强初级卫生保健，以提高四川省认知障碍患者的护理质量。中国的认知障碍患病率预计将大幅上升。尽管有这种趋势，但中国认知疾病的诊断和治疗仍不规范。本研究对四川省13家医疗机构近5年来以认知障碍或痴呆为首发诊断的住院记录进行了多中心回顾性研究。分析揭示了以三级医院为主的患者延迟就医的模式。阿尔茨海默病（AD）成为最常见的诊断。记忆障碍被认为是最常见的初始症状。三级医院的诊断和治疗能力优于非三级医院。此外，结果显示患者接受的药物和非药物治疗较少。研究结果表明，四川地区急需加强认知障碍健康教育，分配更多的诊断和干预资源，提高初级卫生保健能力，以改善认知障碍患者的护理质量和生活质量。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Alzheimer's & Dementia 医学-临床神经学

CiteScore

14.50

自引率

5.00%

发文量

299

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Alzheimer's & Dementia is a peer-reviewed journal that aims to bridge knowledge gaps in dementia research by covering the entire spectrum, from basic science to clinical trials to social and behavioral investigations. It provides a platform for rapid communication of new findings and ideas, optimal translation of research into practical applications, increasing knowledge across diverse disciplines for early detection, diagnosis, and intervention, and identifying promising new research directions. In July 2008, Alzheimer's & Dementia was accepted for indexing by MEDLINE, recognizing its scientific merit and contribution to Alzheimer's research.