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Persistent vegetative state in Alzheimer disease. Does it exist?

L Volicer·S A Berman·P B Cipolloni·A Mandell
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the published criteria for diagnosis of the persistent vegetative state could be applied to patients suffering from Alzheimer disease. DESIGN AND METHODS: Eighty-eight institutionalized patients with a diagnosis of possible or probable Alzheimer disease were evaluated for the presence of persistent vegetative state. Initial screening excluded patients who were able to do any of the following: feed themselves, respond to command, walk, or maintain continence of bowel and bladder. A sample of 12 of 28 patients unable to perform any of these functions was examined independently by 3 of us. RESULTS: During the first examination, 2 patients were diagnosed as being in a vegetative state by 2 of us and 3 additional patients by 1 of us. One of us did not diagnose any patient as being in a vegetative state. A second evaluation of the same patients was performed 2 months later, after holding a consensus meeting to standardize the evaluation procedure. During the second evaluation, the vegetative state was diagnosed in 6 patients but only by 1 of us. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic disagreement between the neurologists indicate that Alzheimer disease may only rarely progress to the persistent vegetative state.

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AgedAged, 80 and overAlzheimer DiseaseDiagnostic ErrorsDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansMaleNeurologic ExaminationPersistent Vegetative StateJournal ArticleResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

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L Volicer, S A Berman, P B Cipolloni, A Mandell. 1997. Persistent vegetative state in Alzheimer disease. Does it exist?. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1997.00550230051016

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