Evaluation of depressive symptoms in elderly people with and without dementia according to the Cornell scale in a homeopathic outpatient service in Rio Branco, Acre

Abstract

Both dementia and depression are very frequent in the elderly, combined with loss of functional and social roles. Patients with dementia can also present depressive symptoms.  The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of depressive symptoms in elderly patients with and without dementia, undergoing complementary homeopathic treatment at the Hospital do Idoso, Fundação Hospitalar do Acre. Study participants were elderly people being monitored for cognitive or motor complaints. Participants underwent an interview with individual and socioeconomic questionnaires; Cognitive assessment with mini-mental exam; Dementia severity assessment using CDR; Evaluation of depressive symptoms by Cornell scale. The most frequent diagnoses of dementia were Fronto-temporal dementia, Alzheimer´s Dementia and Vascular Dementia. The frequencye of depressive symptoms was 62.8% at the first visit. The frequency of depressive symptoms was higher in patients with probable Fronto-temporal dementia (83.3%). In patients without dementia, the mean score was 9.08, while in patients with dementia, it was 13.6 points. Considering the score obtained on the Cornell scale in the first assessment and the score after treatment, there was a significant reduction in this score in the last assessment, suggesting the effect of homeopathic treatment on the improvement of depressive symptoms.