Comparing emergency department use among individuals with varying levels of cognitive impairment

As the population ages, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are becoming increasingly common in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). This study from HIP Investigator Dr. Brian Patterson compares the frequency of ED use among a cohort of individuals with well-defined cognitive performance (cognitively intact, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and ADRD). 

Through a retrospective cohort study of English-speaking, community-dwelling individuals at four health system-based multidisciplinary memory clinics from 2014-2016, the study found that the proportion of subjects with any annual ED use did not increase significantly with greater cognitive impairment.