The spectrum of dementia: frequency, causes and clinical profile. A national referral hospital-based study in Oman.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

There is a paucity of epidemiological data on dementia in the Arabian Peninsular region, particularly Oman. To determine the spectrum, clinical profile, and the behavioral manifestations of dementia in Omani patients evaluated at a tertiary referral hospital.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the demographic and clinical spectrum of 116 patients with probable dementia diagnosed in this center. The diagnosis of dementia was made according to DSM-IV criteria, and staged according to the Clinical Dementia Rating scale. Exclusion criteria included psychiatric disorders, cranial trauma, cerebral tumors, and mild cognitive impairment. The vascular risk patterns and behavioral data were analyzed.

RESULTS

Alzheimer's disease was observed to be the commonest dementia subtype seen in 61 patients (52.6%), while 24.1% had vascular dementia and 9.5% constituted frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Early onset dementia was seen in 45% and potentially reversible dementia constituted 8.6%. Behavioral and psychopathological disturbances in dementia appear to be universal with certain differentiating features between the three major subtypes of dementia.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first published report of dementia from Oman. Dementia is an important health problem not only of the elderly but also of the young population in Oman.