Early Alzheimer's disease (mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia): Prevalence, diagnostics, treatment options, and guidelines in Asia, Australasia, and Pacific nations countries.

Abstract

Early diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) with mild dementia is becoming increasingly important to enable patients to receive appropriate treatment with available amyloid-targeting therapies. Reviews of AD prevalence and diagnostic and treatment patterns typically focus on global or western populations, but the situation in Asia, Australasia, and Pacific Nations (AAPN) countries is less clear. We performed a narrative review of literature for AD in several AAPN countries, focusing on patients with MCI or mild dementia who may benefit from early treatment. Published information regarding AD incidence and prevalence and current practice in AAPN countries is limited and the nature of available information differs between countries. However, AAPN countries include some of the most rapidly aging populations and show the associated increasing trend of all-cause dementia prevalence observed globally. Although lecanemab and donanemab are now approved for AD with MCI and mild dementia in several AAPN countries, the most appropriate diagnostic pathway for patients with MCI and early AD is not established. Even though the AAPN region includes countries with routine access to advanced technologies, concerns have already been raised about the ability of healthcare systems in Australia, New Zealand, and Korea to respond to approvals of new AD therapies, including the need to ensure availability of biomarker testing and dementia specialists to allow patients to receive the early diagnosis required to enable appropriate treatment. Guidelines and national policies also need updating to differentiate between dementia subtypes and include amyloid-targeting therapies for eligible patients with early AD.