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Accuracy of the Mini-Mental Status Examination as a screening test for dementia in a Swedish elderly population
Grut M, Fratiglioni L, Viitanen M, Winblad B.. Acta neurologica Scandinavica, 1993-04-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) as a screening test for dementia in an elderly Swedish population. All the inhabitants over 74 years of age in one area of Stockholm took the MMSE. The test was then compared to the clinical diagnosis of dementia.
Key findings
- All the inhabitants over 74 years of age in one area of Stockholm took the MMSE.
- The test was then compared to the clinical diagnosis of dementia.
- With a cut-off point of 23/24, the MMSE had a sensitivity of 87%, specificity of 92%, and positive predictive value (PPV) of 69%.
- Age, sex, and education did not substantially affect the specificity and the PPV, but had a slight effect on the sensitivity.
Why it matters
When everyone over 74 in one Stockholm area took the Mini-Mental Status Examination, a score at or below 23/24 picked up 87% of the people clinicians diagnosed with dementia and correctly cleared 92% of those without it. But only 69% of people who scored low actually had dementia, so a low score is a reason for a full clinical assessment, not a diagnosis. Age, sex and education changed these results only slightly, though this was one older Swedish community and the figures may differ elsewhere.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Acta neurologica Scandinavica) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Acta Neurologica Scandinavica: journal h-index 160 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1993 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 166 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.7 citations a year over 35 year(s) since 1993 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 9 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Bengt G. Winblad: h-index 171 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Karolinska Institutet: institution h-index 1,477 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 8503262) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Grut, M., Fratiglioni, L., Viitanen, M., & Winblad, B. (1993). Accuracy of the Mini-Mental Status Examination as a screening test for dementia in a Swedish elderly population. Acta neurologica Scandinavica. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0404.1993.tb05514.x
Vancouver
Grut M, Fratiglioni L, Viitanen M, Winblad B. Accuracy of the Mini-Mental Status Examination as a screening test for dementia in a Swedish elderly population. Acta neurologica Scandinavica. 1993. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0404.1993.tb05514.x. PMID: 8503262.
BibTeX
@article{grut1993-8503262,
author = {Grut, M. and Fratiglioni, L. and Viitanen, M. and Winblad, B.},
title = {{Accuracy of the Mini-Mental Status Examination as a screening test for dementia in a Swedish elderly population}},
journal = {Acta neurologica Scandinavica},
year = {1993},
doi = {10.1111/j.1600-0404.1993.tb05514.x},
pmid = {8503262},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0404.1993.tb05514.x}
}
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