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Kunik ME, Snow AL, Davila JA, McNeese T, Steele AB, Balasubramanyam V, Doody R, Schulz PE, Kalavar JS, Walder A, Morgan RO. Consequences of aggressive behavior in patients with dementia. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. 2010 Jan 1; 22(1):40-7.
This study examined aggression as a predictor of nursing-home placement, injuries, use of restraints, and use of health services in community-dwelling patients with newly diagnosed dementia. Participants were identified from 2001-2004 Veterans Administration databases; all had a new diagnosis of dementia and no aggression. Patients and caregivers were evaluated for aggression, using the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory-aggression subscale, and other outcomes for 2 years, with outcome rates compared between patients who did or did not develop aggression and between pre- and postaggressive periods. Of 215 patients, 88 became aggressive, associated with significantly increased use of psychotropic medication (p < or = 0.04), injuries (p < or = 0.0001), and nursing-home placement (p < or = 0.004).