Table 1

Characteristics of patients at the time of enrollment in the trials

Characteristic

All Patients
Supervision per day
Dependence Level



≤ 12 hrs
> 12 hrs
< 3
≥ 3

Number

1287
407
880
692
595
Socio-demographic details
Age, (years)
Mean (SD)
73.8 (8.3)
72.9 (8.5)
74.2 (8.2)*
72.1 (8.6)
75.8 (7.5)*
Female
N (%)
801 (62)
261 (64.1)
540 (61.4)
388 (56.1)
413 (69.4)*
Education beyond elementary school
N (%)
876 (68.8)
271 (67.6)
605 (69.3)
508 (74.1)
368 (62.6)*
Lives with caregiver
N (%)
934 (74.2)
203 (51.5)
731 (84.5)*
496 (73.0)
438 (75.5)
Spouse or partner caregiver
N (%)
781 (62.1)
175 (43.0)
606 (68.9)*
431 (62.3)
350 (58.8)
Clinical characteristics
Time since onset of cognitive problems, (years)
Mean (SD)
3.8 (2.6)
3.6 (2.6)
3.9 (2.6)*
3.7 (2.6)
4.0 (2.6)*
Time since AD diagnosis (years)
Mean (SD)
1.0 (1.4)
0.9 (1.2)
1.1 (1.4)
0.9 (1.3)
1.1 (1.4)*
Extra-pyramidal symptoms
N (%)
68 (5.2)
15 (3.7)
53 (6.0)
29 (4.2)
39 (6.6)
Anti-psychotic medication
N (%)
328 (25.5)
81 (19.9)
247 (28.1)*
134 (19.3)
194 (32.6)*
MMSE
Mean (SD)
19.3 (3.7)
20.4 (3.4)
18.8 (3.8)*
20.5 (3.3)
18.0 (3.8)*
ADAS-cog
Mean (SD)
25.4 (10.4)
22.7 (9.7)
26.7 (10.5)*
22.0 (8.7)
29.5 (10.8)*
Dependence
Dependence level >= 3
N (%)
583 (46.0)
134 (32.9)
461 (52.4)


DAD
Mean (SD)
70.1 (22.5)
77.7 (20.0)
66.7 (22.7)*
81.9 (14.9)
56.3 (22.0)*

* Statistically significant difference between groups (p = 0.05).

Caro et al. BMC Neurology 2002 2:6   doi:10.1186/1471-2377-2-6