Psychometric profiling of the elderly using the Cambridge Cognitive Examination

OBJECTIVES: To (1) build a psychometric profile of elderly subjects attending specialists day care centers and residential homes using the Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG); (2) identify factors that are predictive of the score obtained; and (3) determine whether scores from CAMCOG and the less time-consuming Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were correlated sufficiently for the latter to replace the former for general cognitive screening. DESIGN: Nonrandom convenience sampling of elderly subjects attending specialist day care centers, residential homes, and units for the elderly mentally ill. SETTING: Belfast, Northern Ireland. MAIN OUTCOME: CAMCOG and MMSE scores with age, sex, educational level, marital status, visual and hearing ability, various central nervous system diseases, and handedness as independent variables. RESULTS: Age, sex, the wearing of glasses, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and epilepsy were found to be significant predictors of the CAMCOG score. This pattern held true for the MMSE score, except for stroke. CAMCOG and MMSE scores were correlated closely, even after deletion of overlapping scores. However, the CAMCOG score showed an increasing bias when the mean score increased. The cognitive function of the subjects attending the 3 types of establishment differed significantly, with those in the residential homes being the most heterogenous. CONCLUSIONS: The subjects profiled showed significant cognitive impairment. The MMSE score appears to give much the same information as the CAMCOG score in this general screening of our patient group. The population considered is probably representative of subjects attending similar units in the United Kingdom.