Introduction: This study investigated whether neuropsychological testing in primary care (PC) offices altered physician-initiated interventions related to cognitive impairment (CI) or slowed the rate of CI progression.
Methods: This 24-month, cluster-randomized study included 11 community-based PC practices randomized to either treatment as usual (5 practices) or cognitive report (CR; 6 practices) arms. From 2005 to 2008, 533 patients aged ≥65 years and without a diagnosis of CI were recruited; 423 were retested 24 months after baseline.
Results: CR physicians were significantly more likely to order cognitive-related interventions (P = .02), document discussions about cognition (P = .003), and order blood tests to rule out reversible CI (P = .002). At follow-up, significantly more CR patients had a medication for cognition listed in their chart (P = .02). There was no difference in the rate of cognitive decline between the groups.
Discussion: Providing cognitive information to physicians resulted in higher rates of physician-initiated interventions for patients with CI.
Keywords: Age; Alzheimer's disease; Cognitive impairment; Community-based; Dementia; Mild cognitive impairment primary care; Primary care physicians.