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Research criteria for the diagnosis of prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies
McKeith IG, Ferman TJ, Thomas AJ, Blanc F, Boeve BF, Fujishiro H, Kantarci K, Muscio C et al.. Neurology, 2020-04-02
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The prodromal phase of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) includes (1) mild cognitive impairment (MCI), (2) delirium-onset, and (3) psychiatric-onset presentations. The purpose of our review is to determine whether there is sufficient information yet available to justify development of diagnostic criteria for each of these. Our goal is to achieve evidence-based recommendations for the recognition of DLB at a predementia, symptomatic stage. We propose operationalized diagnostic criteria for probable and possible mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies, which are intended for use in research settings pending validation for use in clinical practice. They are compatible with current criteria for other prodromal neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. Although there is still insufficient evidence to propose formal criteria for delirium-onset and psychiatric-onset presentations of DLB, we feel that it is important to characterize them, raising the index of diagnostic suspicion and prioritizing them for further investigation.
Key findings
- The purpose of our review is to determine whether there is sufficient information yet available to justify development of diagnostic criteria for each of these.
- Our goal is to achieve evidence-based recommendations for the recognition of DLB at a predementia, symptomatic stage.
- We propose operationalized diagnostic criteria for probable and possible mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies, which are intended for use in research settings pending validation for use in clinical practice.
- They are compatible with current criteria for other prodromal neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer and Parkinson disease.
- Although there is still insufficient evidence to propose formal criteria for delirium-onset and psychiatric-onset presentations of DLB, we feel that it is important to characterize them, raising the index of diagnostic suspicion and prioritizing them for further investigation.
Why it matters
This 2020 review proposed research criteria for "probable and possible mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies" — that is, for spotting dementia with Lewy bodies when symptoms have begun but before dementia — "intended for use in research settings pending validation for use in clinical practice." It also describes delirium-onset and psychiatric-onset presentations, but found "insufficient evidence" to set formal criteria for them. It is about earlier recognition of Lewy body dementia, not Alzheimer's disease, and it reports no treatment.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 64/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 61 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 64 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (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 | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 783 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 97.9 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 56.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 55 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 431 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | University of Washington: institution h-index 3,540 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 16 institution(s) in 7 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32241955) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 61 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 61 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 64 out of 100. |
| Total | 64 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
McKeith, I. G., Ferman, T. J., Thomas, A. J., Blanc, F., Boeve, B. F., Fujishiro, H., et al. (2020). Research criteria for the diagnosis of prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000009323
Vancouver
McKeith IG, Ferman TJ, Thomas AJ, Blanc F, Boeve BF, Fujishiro H, et al. Research criteria for the diagnosis of prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies. Neurology. 2020. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000009323. PMID: 32241955.
BibTeX
@article{mckeith2020-32241955,
author = {McKeith, I. G. and Ferman, T. J. and Thomas, A. J. and Blanc, F. and Boeve, B. F. and Fujishiro, H. and Kantarci, K. and Muscio, C. and others},
title = {{Research criteria for the diagnosis of prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000009323},
pmid = {32241955},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000009323}
}
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