The Utility of the Mini-Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination as a Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Diabetes

Background/aims: We tested the utility of the Mini-Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (M-ACE) in a cohort of older adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes.

Method: The M-ACE was administered to 112 CKD and diabetes patients attending a nephrology clinic. Cognitive impairment was based upon patient, informant, and case review, neuropsychological assessment, and application of criteria for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition for dementia. The M-ACE was also compared to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Results: Upon assessment, 52 patients had normal cognitive function, 33 had MCI, and 27 had dementia. The area under the receiver operating curve for the M-ACE was 0.96 (95% CI 0.95-1.00). The sensitivity and specificity for a dementia diagnosis were 0.96 and 0.84 at the cut point <25 and 0.70 and 1.00 at the cut point <21. Mean M-ACE scores differed significantly between normal, demented, and MCI groups (p < 0.001), and compared to the MMSE, the M-ACE did not suffer from ceiling effects.

Conclusion: The M-ACE is an easily administered test with good sensitivity and specificity to capture and assist in the diagnosis of MCI or dementia in patients with CKD and diabetes.