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Survival times in people with dementia: analysis from population based cohort study with 14 year follow-up
Xie J, Brayne C, Matthews FE, Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study collaborators.. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2008-01-10
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objectives To provide estimates of survival after onset of dementia by age, sex, self reported health, disability, and severity of cognitive impairment. Design Analysis of participants from prospective population based cohort study in 1991-2003, with follow-up of dementia status in all individuals after two and six years (in one centre) and 10 years and in subsamples additionally at six and eight years and mortality until 2005. Setting Multicentre population based study in England and Wales: two rural and three urban centres. Participants 438 participants who developed dementia from a population based study of 13 004 individuals aged 65 years and over drawn from primary care population registers. Main outcome measures Sociodemographic factors, cognitive function, specific health conditions, and self reported health collected at each interview. Cox's proportional hazards regression models were used to identify predictors of mortality from the selected variables in people who received diagnosis of dementia according the study's criteria. Results By December 2005, 356 of the 438 (81%) participants who developed dementia during the study had died. Estimated median survival time from onset of dementia to death was 4.1 years (interquartile range 2.5-7.6) for men and 4.6 years (2.9-7.0) for women. There was a difference of nearly seven years in survival between the younger old and the oldest people with dementia: 10.7 (25th centile 5.6) for ages 65-69; 5.4 (interquartile range 3.4-8.3) for ages 70-79; 4.3 (2.8-7.0) for ages 80-89, and 3.8 (2.3-5.2) years for ages > or =90. Significant factors that predicted mortality in the presence of dementia during the follow-up included sex, age of onset, and disability. Conclusion These analyses give a population based estimated median survival for incident dementia of 4.5 years. Such estimates can be used for prognosis and planning for patients, carers, service providers, and policy makers.
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APA 7th
Xie, J., Brayne, C., Matthews, F. E., & Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study collaborators. (2008). Survival times in people with dementia: analysis from population based cohort study with 14 year follow-up. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39433.616678.25
Vancouver
Xie J, Brayne C, Matthews FE, Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study collaborators. Survival times in people with dementia: analysis from population based cohort study with 14 year follow-up. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 2008. doi:10.1136/bmj.39433.616678.25. PMID: 18187696.
BibTeX
@article{xie2008-18187696,
author = {Xie, J. and Brayne, C. and Matthews, F. E. and {Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study collaborators}},
title = {{Survival times in people with dementia: analysis from population based cohort study with 14 year follow-up}},
journal = {BMJ (Clinical research ed.)},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.1136/bmj.39433.616678.25},
pmid = {18187696},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39433.616678.25}
}
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.
Key findings
- Results By December 2005, 356 of the 438 (81%) participants who developed dementia during the study had died.
- Significant factors that predicted mortality in the presence of dementia during the follow-up included sex, age of onset, and disability.
Why it matters
Among 438 people aged 65+ in England and Wales who developed dementia during a 13,004-person population study, median survival after onset was 4.5 years overall (4.1 for men, 4.6 for women), but it varied widely with age at onset: 10.7 years for onset at 65–69 versus 3.8 years at 90 or older. Sex, age at onset and disability predicted mortality, and the authors say these estimates "can be used for prognosis and planning for patients, carers, service providers, and policy makers." These are group averages from a 1991–2005 UK cohort. They show associations, not causes, and the study tested no treatment.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants438
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 68/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (BMJ (Clinical research ed.)) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | BMJ: journal h-index 608 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2008 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 438 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 439 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 21.9 citations a year over 20 year(s) since 2008 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 16.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 29 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 52 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Fiona E. Matthews: h-index 99 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Cambridge: institution h-index 1,973 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | PubMed indexes it as a multicentre study |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 18187696) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 68 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1136/bmj.39433.616678.25
- PubMed: 18187696
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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