2017 Articles

The Predictors Study: Development and Baseline Characteristics of the Predictors 3 Cohort

Stern, Yaakov; Gu, Yian; Cosentino, Stephanie; Azar, Martina; Lawless, Siobhan; Tatarina, Oksana

INTRODUCTION: The Predictors study was designed to predict the length of time to major disease outcomes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Here, we describe the development of a new, Predictors 3, cohort. METHODS: Patients with prevalent or incident AD and individuals at-risk for developing AD were selected from the North Manhattan community and followed annually with instruments comparable to those used in the original two Predictors cohorts. RESULTS: The original Predictors cohorts were clinic based and racially/ethnically homogenous (94% white, 6% black; 3% Hispanic). In contrast, the 274 elders in this cohort are community-based and ethnically diverse (39% white, 40% black, 21% other; 78% Hispanic). Confirming previous observations, psychotic features were associated with poorer function and mental status and extrapyramidal signs with poorer function. DISCUSSION: This new cohort will allow us to test observations made in our original clinic-based cohorts in patients that may be more representative of the general community.