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Survival after initial diagnosis of Alzheimer disease
Larson EB, Shadlen MF, Wang L, McCormick WC, Bowen JD, Teri L, Kukull WA.. Annals of internal medicine, 2004-04-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Results The median survival from initial diagnosis was 4.2 years for men and 5.7 years for women with Alzheimer disease. Men had poorer survival across all age groups compared with females. Survival was decreased in all age groups compared with the life expectancy of the U.S. population. Features significantly associated with reduced survival at diagnosis were increased severity of cognitive impairment, decreased functional level, history of falls, physical examination findings of frontal release signs, and abnormal gait. The variables most strongly associated with survival were measures of disease severity at the time of diagnosis. These results should be useful to patients and families experiencing Alzheimer disease, other caregivers, clinicians, and policymakers when planning for future care needs.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Larson, E. B., Shadlen, M. F., Wang, L., McCormick, W. C., Bowen, J. D., Teri, L., et al. (2004). Survival after initial diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. Annals of internal medicine. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-140-7-200404060-00008
Vancouver
Larson EB, Shadlen MF, Wang L, McCormick WC, Bowen JD, Teri L, et al. Survival after initial diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. Annals of internal medicine. 2004. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-140-7-200404060-00008. PMID: 15068977.
BibTeX
@article{larson2004-15068977,
author = {Larson, E. B. and Shadlen, M. F. and Wang, L. and McCormick, W. C. and Bowen, J. D. and Teri, L. and Kukull, W. A.},
title = {{Survival after initial diagnosis of Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Annals of internal medicine},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.7326/0003-4819-140-7-200404060-00008},
pmid = {15068977},
url = {https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-140-7-200404060-00008}
}
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 names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results The median survival from initial diagnosis was 4.2 years for men and 5.7 years for women with Alzheimer disease.
- Men had poorer survival across all age groups compared with females.
- Survival was decreased in all age groups compared with the life expectancy of the U.S. population.
- Features significantly associated with reduced survival at diagnosis were increased severity of cognitive impairment, decreased functional level, history of falls, physical examination findings of frontal release signs, and abnormal gait.
- The variables most strongly associated with survival were measures of disease severity at the time of diagnosis.
Why it matters
Half of the people in this study lived less than 4.2 years (men) or 5.7 years (women) after they were first diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and half lived longer. Men "had poorer survival across all age groups", and in every age group survival was shorter than the life expectancy of the U.S. population. More severe cognitive impairment, lower day-to-day function, a history of falls, abnormal gait and frontal release signs at diagnosis were all linked to shorter survival (links, not causes), which the authors say can help families and clinicians plan future care.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Annals of internal medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Annals of Internal Medicine: journal h-index 648 (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 | 2004 — 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 544 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 22.7 citations a year over 24 year(s) since 2004 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 19.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 42 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 32 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Walter A. Kukull: h-index 107 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | University of Washington: institution h-index 3,540 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 15068977) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
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