Utilization Patterns and Clinical Factors Associated With Hospitalization in Early‐Stage Dementia With Lewy Bodies

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

Patients with DLB had significantly greater rates of hospitalization and ED visits compared to patients with AD (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR): 1.46, 95% CI 1.24, 1.73, IRR: 1.46, 95% CI 1.29, 1.77, respectively) and controls (IRR: 1.77, 95% CI 1.46, 2.14, IRR: 2.21, 95% CI 1.82, 2.69, respectively) and ED visits compared to those with VD (IRR: 1.24, 95% CI 1.03, 1.50). Patients with DLB were over 50% more likely to have a hospitalization associated with falls compared to those with AD and VD (OR: 1.75, 95% CI 1.16, 2.62 OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.48, respectively). Compared to patients with AD, DLB patients were found to have 2.9-time higher likelihood of experiencing at least one hospitalization (Odds Ratio: 2.89. 95% CI: 1.17, 6.45). Patients with DLB were substantially more likely to utilize ED services than patients with AD, VD, or controls, and more likely to experience hospitalizations compared to AD and control groups. Fall prevention and psychiatric treatment may be particularly important in reducing hospitalizations in early-stage DLB.

Key findings

• Patients with DLB had significantly greater rates of hospitalization and ED visits compared to patients with AD (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR): 1.46, 95% CI 1.24, 1.73, IRR: 1.46, 95% CI 1.29, 1.77, respectively) and controls (IRR: 1.77, 95% CI 1.46, 2.14, IRR: 2.21, 95% CI 1.82, 2.69, respectively) and ED visits compared to those with VD (IRR: 1.24, 95% CI 1.03, 1.50).
• Patients with DLB were over 50% more likely to have a hospitalization associated with falls compared to those with AD and VD (OR: 1.75, 95% CI 1.16, 2.62 OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.48, respectively).
• Compared to patients with AD, DLB patients were found to have 2.9-time higher likelihood of experiencing at least one hospitalization (Odds Ratio: 2.89. 95% CI: 1.17, 6.45).
• Patients with DLB were substantially more likely to utilize ED services than patients with AD, VD, or controls, and more likely to experience hospitalizations compared to AD and control groups.
• Fall prevention and psychiatric treatment may be particularly important in reducing hospitalizations in early-stage DLB.

Why it matters

This study found that patients with early-stage dementia with Lewy bodies had higher rates of hospitalization and emergency department visits than patients with Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia or controls, and were more likely to have falls-related hospitalizations. It suggests fall prevention and psychiatric treatment may help reduce hospitalizations but does not test any treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.

Study details

• Participants175
• Effect sizeRR: 1.46; RR: 1.77; RR: 2.21
• Evidence strengthLow

Read the original

• DOI: 10.1002/gps.70125
• PubMed: 40611368
• Original source →
• Free full text: Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast) →

Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).

@article{wymanchick2025-40611368,
  author  = {Wyman‐Chick, Kathryn A and Chrenka, Ella A. B. and Kane, Joseph P. M. and Barrett, Matthew J. and Miller, Michael J. and Schousboe, John T. and Werner, Ann M. and Rossom, Rebecca C.},
  title   = {{Utilization Patterns and Clinical Factors Associated With Hospitalization in Early‐Stage Dementia With Lewy Bodies}},
  journal = {International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1002/gps.70125},
  pmid    = {40611368},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.70125}
}

Studies this one cites

Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.

• Diagnosis and management of dementia with Lewy bodies: Fourth consensus report of the DLB Consortium Neurology · 2017-06-07 · usefulness score 67/100 · Getting a diagnosis
• Research criteria for the diagnosis of prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies Neurology · 2020-04-02 · usefulness score 64/100 · Getting a diagnosis
• Survival after dementia diagnosis in five racial/ethnic groups Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2017-02-05 · usefulness score 57/100 · Disparities
• Low sensitivity in clinical diagnoses of dementia with Lewy bodies Journal of neurology · 2009-10-01 · usefulness score 54/100 · Long-term cohort studies
• The prognosis of dementia with Lewy bodies The Lancet. Neurology · 2017-03-22 · usefulness score 52/100 · Caregiving
• Cost of Psychiatric Inpatient Treatment for Dementia in Switzerland: A Case-Level Analysis of Billing Data International journal of geriatric psychiatry · 2025-07-05 · usefulness score 40/100 · Health systems and care delivery

Later studies that cite this one

1 study in the alzhub library lists this one in its references.

• Discriminative Plasma Lipidomic Signatures of Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Targeted Mass Spectrometry and Machine Learning Approach Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment · 2026-03-01 · usefulness score 46/100 · Digital health tools

Related studies in Clinical safety

• Clinical and quantitative pathologic correlates of dementia with Lewy bodies Neurology · 1999-10-01 · usefulness score 47/100
• Timing and risk factors for functional changes associated with medical hospitalization in older patients The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2010-05-21 · usefulness score 36/100
• Longitudinal driving performance in early-stage dementia of the Alzheimer type Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2003-10-01 · usefulness score 59/100
• Functional–behavioral patterns associated with care-related risk in hospitalized patients with Alzheimer’s disease: a real-world clustering analysis Research Square · 2026-06-30 · usefulness score 16/100
• The impact of autonomic dysfunction on survival in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease with dementia PloS one · 2012-10-01 · usefulness score 62/100
• Seeing the trees in the wood: the importance of co-pathologies in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies Brain · 2025-07-01 · usefulness score 53/100

Similar studies

• Causes and outcomes of hospitalization in Lewy body dementia: A retrospective cohort study 2019 · End-of-life care
• Dementia with Lewy bodies 2003 · Brain scans and imaging
• Dementia With Lewy Bodies 2025 · Lewy body dementia
• Dementia with Lewy bodies 2004 · Brain tissue and pathology
• Current strategies in the management of dementia with lewy bodies and future directions based on disease pathophysiology 2025 · Lewy body dementia
• Dementia with Lewy bodies: an update and outlook 2019 · Getting a diagnosis

More on Clinical safety

• A review that covers this ground Factors associated with weight loss, low BMI, and malnutrition among nursing home patients: a systematic review of the literature Journal of the American Medical Directors Association · 2013-04-30 · usefulness score 66/100
• Newest in this subject Short-Horizon Metrics and the Persistence of Capacity-Debiting Practices in Nursing Homes Preprints.org · 2026-10-13 · Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed · usefulness score 16/100
• Newest in this subject Expert-Derived Components of Person-Centred Nursing Intervention for People with Dementia and/or Cognitive Impairment in a Hospital Experiencing Distress Research Square · 2026-09-29 · Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed · usefulness score 16/100

See all studies in Clinical safety →