Correlations among age, cognitive impairment, and comorbidities in Alzheimer's disease: report from a center for cognitive disorders.

We report an update of our previous observations in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in the routine clinical practice considering in particular the interactions between age, concomitant pathologies, and treatment adherence. 2379 AD patients (M/F: 1058/1321, mean age: 74.1 ± 8.8) referred for a first visit to our center from September 2000 to April 2017. An increase of percentage of patients aged over 80 years along the years was confirmed (27% between September 2000 and December 2010, and 39% between January 2011 to April 2017). The patients over 80 years presented a Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS) significantly higher than patients under 80 years (p < 0.00001). Higher CIRS scores were associated with a lower treatment adherence (p < 0.0002) and greater cognitive impairment (p < 0.01). As people in advanced age with cognitive disorders will increase, our approach to dementing conditions has to change and fit to social and epidemiological modifications.