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BACKGROUND: Stroke survivors are at an increased risk of developing post-stroke cognitive impairment and post-stroke dementia; those at risk could be identified by brain imaging routinely performed at stroke onset. AIM: This systematic review aimed to identify features which are associated with post-stroke cognitive impairment (including dementia), on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed at stroke diagnosis. SUMMARY OF REVIEW: We searched the literature from inception to January 2022 and identified 10,284 records. We included studies that performed MRI at the time of stroke (0-30 days after a stroke) and assessed cognitive outcome at least three months after stroke. We synthesised findings from 26 papers, comprising 27 stroke-populations (N=13,114, average age range=40-80 years, 19-62% female). When data were available, we pooled unadjusted (ORu) and adjusted (ORa) odds ratios.We found associations between cognitive outcomes and presence of cerebral atrophy (3 studies, N=453, ORu=2.48, 95%CI=1.15-4.62), presence of microbleeds (2 studies, N=9151, ORa=1.36, 95%CI=1.08-1.70), and increasing severity of white matter hyperintensities (3 studies, N=704, ORa=1.26, 95%CI=1.06-1.49). Increasing cerebral small vessel disease score was associated with cognitive outcome following unadjusted analysis only (2 studies, N=499, ORu=1.34, 95%CI=1.12-1.61; 3 studies, N=950, ORa=1.23, 95%CI=0.96-1.57). Associations remained after controlling for pre-stroke cognitive impairment. We did not find associations between other stroke features and cognitive outcome, or there were insufficient data. CONCLUSIONS: Acute stroke MRI features may enable healthcare professionals to identify patients at risk of post-stroke cognitive problems. However, there is still substantial uncertainty about the prognostic utility of acute MRI for this.

Background: Frail older adults experience higher rates of adverse health outcomes. Therefore, assessing pre-hospital frailty early in the course of care is essential to identify the most vulnerable patients and determine their risk of deterioration. The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is a frailty assessment tool that evaluates pre-hospital mobility, energy, physical activity, and function to generate a score that ranges from very fit to terminally ill.Purpose: To synthesize the evidence of the association between the CFS degree and all-cause mortality, all-cause readmission, length of hospital stay, adverse discharge destination, and functional decline in patients >65 years in acute clinical settings. Design: Systematic review with narrative synthesis.Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus) were searched for prospective or retrospective studies reporting a relationship between pre-hospital frailty according to the CFS and the outcomes of interest from database inception to April 2020. Results: Our search yielded 756 articles, of which 29 studies were included in this review (15 were at moderate risk and 14 at low risk of bias). The included studies represented 26 cohorts from 25 countries (N = 44166) published between 2011 and 2020. All included studies showed that pre-hospital frailty according to the CFS is an independent predictor of all adverse health outcomes included in the review.Conclusion: A primary purpose of the CFS is to grade clinically increased risk (i.e. risk stratification). Our results report the accumulated knowledge on the risk-predictive performance of the CFS and highlight the importance of routinely including frailty assessments, such as the CFS, to estimate biological age, improve risk assessments, and assist clinical decision-making in older adults in acute care. Further research into the potential of the CFS and whether implementing the CFS in routine practice will improve care and patients quality of life is war, Funding Agencies|Boehringer Ingelheim; MSD; Astra Zeneca

Introduction: Frailty, a measure of biological aging, has been linked to worse COVID-19 outcomes. However, as the mortality differs across the COVID-19 waves, it is less clear whether a medical record-based electronic frailty index (eFI) that we have previously developed for older adults could be used for risk stratification in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine the association of frailty with mortality, readmission, and length of stay in older COVID-19 patients and to compare the predictive accuracy of the eFI to other frailty and comorbidity measures. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using electronic health records (EHRs) from nine geriatric clinics in Stockholm, Sweden, comprising 3,980 COVID-19 patients (mean age 81.6 years) admitted between March 2020 and March 2022. Frailty was assessed using a 48-item eFI developed for Swedish geriatric patients, the Clinical Frailty Scale, and the Hospital Frailty Risk Score. Comorbidity was measured using the Charlson Comorbidity Index. We analyzed in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission using logistic regression, 30-day and 6-month mortality using Cox regression, and the length of stay using linear regression. Predictive accuracy of the logistic regression and Cox models was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and Harrell's C-statistic, respectively. Results: Across the study period, the in-hospital mortality rate decreased from 13.9% in the first wave to 3.6% in the latest (Omicron) wave. Controlling for age and sex, a 10% increment in the eFI was significantly associated with higher risks of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio = 2.95; 95% confidence interval = 2.42-3.62), 30-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.39; 2.08-2.74), 6-month mortality (HR = 2.29; 2.04-2.56), and a longer length of stay (beta-coefficient = 2.00; 1.65-2.34) but not with 30-day readmission. The association between the eFI and in-hospital mortality r

Background: Frail older adults experience higher rates of adverse health outcomes. Therefore, assessing pre-hospital frailty early in the course of care is essential to identify the most vulnerable patients and determine their risk of deterioration. The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is a frailty assessment tool that evaluates pre-hospital mobility, energy, physical activity, and function to generate a score that ranges from very fit to terminally ill. Purpose: To synthesize the evidence of the association between the CFS degree and all-cause mortality, all-cause readmission, length of hospital stay, adverse discharge destination, and functional decline in patients > 65 years in acute clinical settings. Design: Systematic review with narrative synthesis. Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus) were searched for prospective or retrospective studies reporting a relationship between pre-hospital frailty according to the CFS and the outcomes of interest from database inception to April 2020. Results: Our search yielded 756 articles, of which 29 studies were included in this review (15 were at moderate risk and 14 at low risk of bias). The included studies represented 26 cohorts from 25 countries (N = 44166) published between 2011 and 2020. All included studies showed that pre-hospital frailty according to the CFS is an independent predictor of all adverse health outcomes included in the review. Conclusion: A primary purpose of the CFS is to grade clinically increased risk (i.e. risk stratification). Our results report the accumulated knowledge on the risk-predictive performance of the CFS and highlight the importance of routinely including frailty assessments, such as the CFS, to estimate biological age, improve risk assessments, and assist clinical decision-making in older adults in acute care. Further research into the potential of the CFS and whether implementing the CFS in routine practice will improve care and patients’ quality of life is wa

Adam Bednorz,1,2 Jonathan KL Mak,3 Juulia Jylhävä,3,4 Dorota Religa5,6 1John Paul II Geriatric Hospital, Katowice, Poland; 2Institute of Psychology, Humanitas Academy, Sosnowiec, Poland; 3Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 4Faculty of Social Sciences (Health Sciences) and Gerontology Research Center (GEREC), University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; 5Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 6Theme Inflammation and Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, SwedenCorrespondence: Dorota Religa, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, H1 Neurobiologi, vårdvetenskap och samhälle, H1 Klinisk geriatrik Religa, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden, Tel +46 724698503, Fax +46 08-31 11 01, Email dorota.religa@ki.seAbstract: Electronic medical records (EMRs) have many benefits in clinical research in gerontology, enabling data analysis, development of prognostic tools and disease risk prediction. EMRs also offer a range of advantages in clinical practice, such as comprehensive medical records, streamlined communication with healthcare providers, remote data access, and rapid retrieval of test results, ultimately leading to increased efficiency, enhanced patient safety, and improved quality of care in gerontology, which includes benefits like reduced medication use and better patient history taking and physical examination assessments. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) approaches on EMRs can further improve disease diagnosis, symptom classification, and support clinical decision-making. However, there are also challenges related to data quality, data entry errors, as well as the ethics and safety of using AI in healthcare. This article discusses the future of EMRs in gerontology and the application of AI and ML in clinical research. Ethical and legal issues

Hanna Falk Erhag,1– 3 Gudny Guðnadóttir,3 Joakim Alfredsson,4 Tommy Cederholm,5,6 Niklas Ekerstad,7,8 Dorota Religa,9,10 Bengt Nellgård,11 Katarina Wilhelmson2,3,12 1Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 2Centre for Ageing and Health (Agecap), University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 3Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Acute Medicine and Geriatrics, Gothenburg, Sweden; 4Department of Cardiology, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Unit of Cardiovascular Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; 5Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; 6Theme Inflammation and Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; 7Department of Health, Medicine, and Caring Sciences, Unit of Health Care Analysis, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; 8The Research and Development Unit, NU Hospital Group, Trollhättan, Sweden; 9Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; 10Division for Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; 11Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Institute of Clinical Studies, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 12Department of Health and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenCorrespondence: Hanna Falk Erhag, Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Wallinsgatan 6, Gothenburg, SE 431 41, Sweden, Tel +46 760 476888, Fax +46 31 786 60 77, Email hanna.falk@gu.seBackground: Frail older adults e

Background Identifying whether acute stroke patients are at risk of cognitive decline could improve prognostic discussions and management. Structural computed tomography neuroimaging is routine in acute stroke, and may identify those at risk of post-stroke dementia or post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). Aim To systematically review the literature to identify which stroke or pre-stroke features on brain computed tomography scans, performed at the time of stroke, are associated with post-stroke dementia or PSCI. Summary of review We searched electronic databases to December 2020. We included studies reporting acute stroke brain computed tomography, and later diagnosis of a cognitive syndrome. We created summary estimates of size of unadjusted association between computed tomography features and cognition. Of 9536 citations, 28 studies (41 papers) were eligible (N = 7078, mean age 59.8-78.6 years). Cognitive outcomes were post-stroke dementia (10 studies), PSCI (17 studies), and one study analyzed both. Fifteen studies (N = 2952) reported data suitable for meta-analyses. White matter lesions (WML) (six studies, N = 1054, OR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.25-4.84), cerebral atrophy (four studies, N = 558, OR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.21-6.51), and pre-existing stroke lesions (three studies, N = 352, OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.06-5.32) were associated with post-stroke dementia. WML (four studies, N = 473, OR = 3.46, 95% CI = 2.17-5.52) were associated with PSCI. Other computed tomography features were either not associated with cognitive outcome, or there were insufficient data. Conclusions Cognitive impairment following stroke is of great concern to patients and carers. Features seen on visual assessment of acute stroke computed tomography brain scans are strongly associated with cognitive outcomes. Clinicians should consider when and how this information should be discussed with stroke survivors.

Background Frailty assessment in the Swedish health system relies on the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), but it requires training, in-person evaluation, and is often missing in medical records. We aimed to develop an electronic frailty index (eFI) from routinely collected electronic health records (EHRs) and assess its association with adverse outcomes in hospitalized older adults. Methods EHRs were extracted for 18 225 patients with unplanned admissions between 1 March 2020 and 17 June 2021 from 9 geriatric clinics in Stockholm, Sweden. A 48-item eFI was constructed using diagnostic codes, functioning and other health indicators, and laboratory data. The CFS, Hospital Frailty Risk Score, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were used for comparative assessment of the eFI. We modeled in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission using logistic regression; 30-day and 6-month mortality using Cox regression; and length of stay using linear regression. Results Thirteen thousand one hundred and eighty-eight patients were included in analyses (mean age 83.1 years). A 0.03 increment in the eFI was associated with higher risks of in-hospital (odds ratio: 1.65; 95% confidence interval: 1.54-1.78), 30-day (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.43; 1.38-1.48), and 6-month mortality (HR: 1.34; 1.31-1.37) adjusted for age and sex. Of the frailty and comorbidity measures, the eFI had the highest area under receiver operating characteristic curve for in-hospital mortality of 0.813. Higher eFI was associated with longer length of stay, but had a rather poor discrimination for 30-day readmission. Conclusions An EHR-based eFI has robust associations with adverse outcomes, suggesting that it can be used in risk stratification in hospitalized older adults.

Background: The majority of individuals with dementia will suffer from behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). These symptoms contribute to functional impairment and caregiver burden. Objective: To characterize BPSD in Alzheimers disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), mixed (Mixed) dementia, Parkinsons disease dementia (PDD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and unspecified dementia in individuals residing in long-term care facilities. Methods: We included 10,405 individuals with dementia living in long-term care facilities from the Swedish registry for cognitive/dementia disorders (SveDem) and the Swedish BPSD registry. BPSD was assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory - Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations between dementia diagnoses and different BPSDs. Results: The most common symptoms were aberrant motor behavior, agitation, and irritability. Compared to AD, we found a lower risk of delusions (in FTD, unspecified dementia), hallucinations (FTD), agitation (VaD, PDD, unspecified dementia), elation/euphoria (DLB), anxiety (Mixed, VaD, unspecified dementia), disinhibition (in PDD), irritability (in DLB, FTD, unspecified dementia), aberrant motor behavior (Mixed, VaD, unspecified dementia), and sleep and night-time behavior changes (unspecified dementia). Higher risk of delusions (DLB), hallucinations (DLB, PDD), apathy (VaD, FTD), disinhibition (FTD), and appetite and eating abnormalities (FTD) were also found in comparison to AD. Conclusion: Although individuals in our sample were diagnosed with different dementia disorders, they all exhibited aberrant motor behavior, agitation, and irritability. This suggests common underlying psychosocial or biological mechanisms. We recommend prioritizing these symptoms while planning interventions in long-term care facilities., Funding Agencies|SveDem; Swedish Associations of Local Authorities; Gun och Bertil Stohnes Stiftelse; CIMED grant; Alzheimerfonden; Swedish Brain Foundation; Margaretha af Ugglas foundation; Swedish Research Council; Stockholm County Council (ALF project)

Background Research regarding COVID-19 and acute kidney injury (AKI) in older adults is scarce. We evaluated risk factors and outcomes of AKI in hospitalized older adults with and without COVID-19. Methods Observational study of patients admitted to two geriatric clinics in Stockholm from March 1st to June 15th, 2020. The difference in incidence, risk factors and adverse outcomes for AKI between patients with or without COVID-19 were examined. Odds ratios (OR) for the risk of AKI and in-hospital death were obtained from logistic regression. Results Three hundred-sixteen older patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 and 876 patients for non-COVID-19 diagnoses. AKI occurred in 92 (29%) patients with COVID-19 vs. 159 (18%) without COVID-19. The odds for developing AKI were higher in patients with COVID-19 (adjusted OR, 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-2.76), low baseline kidney function as depicted by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) [4.19 (2.48-7.05), for eGFR 30 to < 60 mL/min, and 20.3 (9.95-41.3) for eGFR < 30 mL/min], and higher C reactive protein (CRP) (OR 1.81 (1.11-2.95) in patients with initial CRP > 10 mg/L). Compared to patients without COVID-19 and without AKI, the risk of in-hospital death was highest in patients with COVID-19 and AKI [OR 80.3, 95% CI (27.3-235.6)], followed by COVID-19 without AKI [16.3 (6.28-42.4)], and by patients without COVID-19 and with AKI [10.2 (3.66-28.2)]. Conclusions Geriatric patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had a higher incidence of AKI compared to patients hospitalized for other diagnoses. COVID-19 and reduced baseline kidney function were risk factors for developing AKI. AKI and COVID-19 were associated with in-hospital death., Funding Agencies|Karolinska InstituteKarolinska Institutet

OBJECTIVE: To describe temporal changes in treatment, care, and short-term mortality outcomes of geriatric patients during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Altogether 1785 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and 6744 hospitalized for non-COVID-19 causes at 7 geriatric clinics in Stockholm from March 6 to July 31, 2020, were included. METHODS: Across admission month, patient vital signs and pharmacological treatment in relationship to risk for in-hospital death were analyzed using the Poisson regression model. Incidence rates (IRs) and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of death are presented. RESULTS: In patients with COVID-19, the IR of mortality were 27%, 17%, 10%, 8%, and 2% from March to July, respectively, after standardization for demographics and vital signs. Compared with patients admitted in March, the risk of in-hospital death decreased by 29% [IRR 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.51-0.99] in April, 61% (0.39, 0.26-0.58) in May, 68% (0.32, 0.19-0.55) in June, and 86% (0.14, 0.03-0.58) in July. The proportion of patients admitted for geriatric care with oxygen saturation <90% decreased from 13% to 1%, which partly explains the improvement of COVID-19 patient survival. In non-COVID-19 patients during the pandemic, mortality rates remained relatively stable (IR 1.3%-2.3%). Compared with non-COVID-19 geriatric patients, the IRR of death declined from 11 times higher (IRR 11.7, 95% CI 6.11-22.3) to 1.6 times (2.61, 0.50-13.7) between March and July in patients with COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Mortality risk in geriatric patients from the Stockholm region declined over time throughout the first pandemic wave of COVID-19. The improved survival rate over time was only partly related to improvement in saturation status at the admission of the patients hospitalized later throughout the pandemic. Lower incidence during the later months could have led to less severe hospitalized cases driving dow

AIM: To describe older persons' experiences of a cognitive assessment and possible neuropsychiatric symptoms [NPS] related to a neurocognitive diagnosis. BACKGROUND: A cognitive assessment in primary care is offered to persons with suspected dementia with subsequent referral to a specialist clinic if required. The assessment process, with the likelihood of receiving a dementia diagnosis, is surrounded by uncertainty with long waiting times. Although NPS are common among persons with cognitive impairment persons are not routinely asked about these symptoms during a cognitive assessment. METHOD: Interviews were held with 18 participants who had completed a cognitive assessment. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory [NPI] was incorporated into one of the interview questions enabling participants to self-report NPS, if present. Interview data were analysed using Interpretive Description. RESULTS: Two main themes were identified: a matter of trust and making sense of a cognitive diagnosis. Experiences of the assessment process ranged from feeling valued to abandoned with variations of trust in the process. A diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment was experienced as an abstract diagnosis devoid of follow-up support. A lack of preparedness for the assessment existed among participants. Some experienced the process as standardised. One half of participants self-reported the presence of one to four NPS, regardless of neurocognitive diagnosis. Irritability and depression were most common NPS identified. CONCLUSIONS: Experiences of a cognitive assessment varied from feeling valued by society to abandoned in the absence of follow-up support. The assessment was viewed as a standardised procedure failing to see the person behind the testing. Diagnosis disclosure conversations were experienced as diffuse with participants unprepared for a dementia diagnosis. The NPI enabled participants to identify and report the presence of NPS which otherwise could go undetected during the cognitive as

Objective: To explore the dementia diagnostic process and drug prescription for persons with dementia (PWD) with different socioeconomic status (SES). Design: Register-based cohort study. Setting and Participants: This study included 74,414 PWD aged >65 years from the Swedish Dementia Register (2007-2018). Their data were linked with the Swedish Longitudinal Integrated Database for Health Insurance and Labor Market Studies (2006-2017) to acquire the SES information 1 year before dementia diagnosis. Methods: Education and incomed2 traditional SES indicatorsdwere divided into 5 levels. Outcomes comprised the dementia diagnostic examinations, types of dementia diagnosis, diagnostic unit, and prescription of antidementia drugs. Binary logistic regression was performed to evaluate socioeconomic inequalities. Results: Compared to PWD with the lowest educational level, PWD with the highest educational level had a higher probability of receiving the basic diagnostic workup [odds ratio (OR) 1.19, 95% confidence in-terval (CI) 1.10-1.29], clock test (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.02-1.24) and neuroimaging (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.09-1.39). Compared with PWD in the lowest income quintile, PWD in the highest income quintile presented a higher chance of receiving the basic diagnostic workup (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.26-1.46), clock test (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.28-1.52), blood analysis (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.06-1.39), Mini-Mental State Examination (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.26-1.70), and neuroimaging (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.18-1.4 4). PWD with higher education or income had a higher likelihood of obtaining a specified dementia diagnosis or being diagnosed at a memory clinic. SES presented no association with prescription of antidementia medication, except for the association be-tween education and the use of memantine. Conclusions and Implications: Higher education or income was significantly associated with higher chance of receiving dementia diagnostic examinations, a specified dementia diagnosis, being diagnosed at a me

Background: Patients with dementia have an increased risk of developing epilepsy, es-pecially in patients with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In selecting the optimal an-ti-epileptic drug (AED), the possible side effects such as drowsiness and worsening of cognitive function should be taken into consideration, together with co-morbidities and type of epilepsy. Objective: The current systematic review investigates the efficacy, tolerability, and changes in cognitive function after administration of AED in patients with dementia and epilepsy. Methods: We searched six databases, including MEDLINE and CENTRAL, checked reference lists, contacted experts, and searched Google Scholar to identify studies reporting randomized trials. Studies identified were independently screened, data extracted, and quality appraised by two researchers. A narrative synthesis was used to report findings. Results: We included one study with 95 patients with Alzheimer’s disease randomized to either lev-etiracetam, lamotrigine, or phenobarbital. No significant differences were found for efficacy, but patients receiving levetiracetam showed an improvement in mini-mental state examination scores and had fewer adverse events. Conclusion: High-quality evidence in the form of randomized controlled trials to guide clinicians in choosing an AED in patients with dementia and concomitant epilepsy remains scarce. However, levetiracetam has previously been shown to possibly improve cognition in patients with both mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, is better tolerated in the elderly population, and has no clinically relevant interaction with either cholinesterase inhibitors or NMDA receptor antagon-ists. Registration No: The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (ID: CRD42020176252).

AIM: To describe older persons who had commenced a memory assessment, experiences of living with memory impairment and related symptoms. BACKGROUND: Persons with subjective memory impairment are two times more likely to develop dementia over the years than their peers. Older persons seldom seek help from primary health care clinics solely for subjective memory impairment. Of those who seek help, it can take up to 35 months from the person experiencing initial symptoms to referral to a memory clinic. Further research is needed regarding how older persons live with memory impairment with related symptoms before they receive a memory diagnosis. METHOD: A qualitative study with 23 participants who had commenced a memory assessment in primary care. Semi-structured interviews were held. During the interviews, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory was completed and discussed with the participants. Interview data were analysed using Interpretive Description. RESULTS: The results are presented under four themes: Conflicting views about the situation, Unveiling the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms, Compensating with external and internal strategies to recall and Worrying about self and future. Persons with memory impairment were encouraged by family members or others to seek a memory assessment. Few persons were self-referred as memory impairment was often seen as a part of aging. Polarised viewpoints existed within the families regarding the impact of memory impairment on daily life. The presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms appeared unexplored in the participants seeking a memory assessment. In this study, the majority of participants experienced neuropsychiatric symptoms at the time of contact for a memory assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Memory problems experienced were often viewed by the person as being part of an aging process. The presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms was not acknowledged as being connected to memory impairment. Contextualising 'memory impairment' as a part of

BACKGROUND: Stroke and dementia are interrelated diseases and risk for both increases with age. Even though stroke incidence and age-standardized death rates have decreased due to prevention of stroke risk factors, increased utilization of reperfusion therapies, and other changes in healthcare, the absolute numbers are increasing due to population growth and aging. OBJECTIVE: To analyze predictors of death after stroke in patients with dementia and investigate possible time and treatment trends. METHODS: A national longitudinal cohort study 2007-2017 using Swedish national registries. We compared 12,629 ischemic stroke events in patients with dementia with matched 57,954 stroke events in non-dementia controls in different aspects of patient care and mortality. Relationship between dementia status and dementia type (Alzheimer's disease and mixed dementia, vascular dementia, other dementias) and death was analyzed using Cox regressions. RESULTS: Differences in receiving intravenous thrombolysis between patients with and without dementia disappeared after the year 2015 (administered to 11.1% dementia versus 12.3% non-dementia patients, p = 0.117). One year after stroke, nearly 50% dementia and 30% non-dementia patients had died. After adjustment for demographics, mobility, nursing home placement, and comorbidity index, dementia was an independent predictor of death compared with non-dementia patients (HR 1.26 [1.23-1.29]). CONCLUSION: Dementia before ischemic stroke is an independent predictor of death. Over time, early and delayed mortality in patients with dementia remained increased, regardless of dementia type. Patients with≤80 years with prior Alzheimer's disease or mixed dementia had higher mortality rates after stroke compared to patients with prior vascular dementia., Funding Agencies:Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions Swedish Brain Power Swedish Stroke Association KI Research Foundations KI Foundation for Diseases of Aging Loo and Hans Osterman's Foundation for Medical Research Margaretha af Ugglas foundation