Utility of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) in the assessment of a sample of patients with Alzheimer's disease in Chile

ABSTRACT The Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) is an informant-based instrument that measures the presence and severity of 12 Neuropsychiatric Symptoms (NPS) in patients with dementia, as well as informant distress. Objective: To measure the psychometric properties of the NPI-Q and the prevalence of NPS in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Chile. Methods: 53 patients with AD were assessed. Subjects were divided into two different groups: mild AD (n=26) and moderate AD (n=27). Convergent validity was estimated by correlating the outcomes of the NPI-Q with Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) scores and with a global cognitive efficiency test (Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination - Revised - ACE-R). Reliability of the NPI-Q was analysed by calculating its internal consistency. Prevalence of NPS was estimated with both the NPI and NPI-Q. Results: Positive and significant correlations were observed between the NPI-Q, the NPI, and the ACE-R (r=0.730; p

摘要 神经精神科问卷（Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, NPI-Q）是一类基于知情人的评定工具，用于评估痴呆患者12项神经精神症状（Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, NPS）的存在情况与严重程度，同时可评定知情人的苦恼程度。研究目的：评估NPI-Q的心理测量学特性，以及智利阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer's Disease, AD）患者中神经精神症状的患病率。研究方法：纳入53例阿尔茨海默病患者，将受试者分为两个组别：轻度阿尔茨海默病组（n=26）与中度阿尔茨海默病组（n=27）。通过将NPI-Q的评估结果与神经精神科量表（Neuropsychiatric Inventory, NPI）得分及整体认知效能测试工具——阿登布鲁克认知评估修订版（Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination - Revised, ACE-R）的结果进行相关性分析，估算其聚合效度；通过计算内部一致性系数分析NPI-Q的信度；同时采用NPI与NPI-Q两种工具评估神经精神症状的患病率。研究结果：NPI-Q得分与NPI得分及ACE-R得分之间均观测到显著正相关（r=0.730; p