Dementia Diagnosis Takes an Average of 3 Years: New Data

TOPLINE:

The average time to diagnosis (TTD) of dementia was 3.5 years in a new meta-analysis, with younger age at onset and having frontotemporal dementia consistently associated with even longer diagnostic intervals.

METHODOLOGY:

• This systematic review and meta-analysis used data from 13 cohort studies published up to December 2024. More than 30,000 patients with a diagnosis of dementia were included, with the age at onset ranging between 54 and 93 years.
• TTD was defined as the interval between the onset of symptoms, rated by family carers or patients using interviews or medical records, and the final diagnosis.

TAKEAWAY:

• A meta-analysis of 10 studies showed the average TTD across all types of dementia was 3.5 years (95% CI, 2.7-4.3), with moderate-quality evidence.
• An analysis of six studies showed that the average TTD of young-onset dementia was 4.1 years (95% CI, 3.4-4.9), also with moderate-quality evidence.
• An analysis by dementia type showed consistently longer TTDs for young-onset Alzheimer’s disease (TTD, 4.0 years; 95% CI, 2.7-5.2) and frontotemporal dementia (TTD, 4.7 years; 95% CI, 3.0-6.4).
• In contrast, TTD in late-onset dementia was 2.9 years (95% CI, 2.6-3.2) in analysis of two studies.

IN PRACTICE:

“Timely diagnosis of dementia remains a major global challenge, shaped by a complex set of factors, and specific healthcare strategies are urgently needed to improve it,” lead investigator Vasiliki Orgeta, PhD, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, England, said in a press release.

“Clinician training is critical to improve early recognition and referral, along with access to early intervention and individualized support, so that people with dementia and their families can get the help they need,” Orgeta added.

SOURCE:

The study was published online on July 27 in International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

LIMITATIONS:

Definitions of TTD varied across studies, with different methods used to assess the first symptoms of dementia. The current meta-analysis did not assess factors affecting TTD. Additionally, individuals with severe dementia may not have accurately remembered when they first experienced symptoms, potentially introducing a recall bias. The findings were also not applicable to low- and medium-income countries.

DISCLOSURES:

The investigators reported having no relevant conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.