Frequency and associated factors of amnestic mild cognitive impairment at four senior citizen clubs in Lima, Peru

ABSTRACT Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is a subtle alteration in cognitive function that does not affect day-to-day activities and can precede Alzheimer's dementia. An increase in the prevalence of both these conditions is expected given the growing elderly population and recognizing risk factors can help reduce the burden. Objective: the aim of this study was to determine the frequency and associated factors of aMCI in senior citizen clubs (SCC) at four districts with different socioeconomic status in Lima, Peru. Methods: we applied Petersen's criteria to determine the presence of the condition in an interview which included the use of the Memory Alteration Test (M@T) and the Pfeffer Functional Activity Questionnaire (PFAQ). Results: sixty-three out of 352 (17.9%) participants had aMCI. Factors associated with this condition were older age, fewer years of education at marriage whereas being from the SCC La Molina (district with highest socioeconomic status and resources for activities for the elderly) were associated with not having aMCI. There was no difference for sex, body mass index or history of hypertension. Conclusion: this predementia stage is frequent and usually undetected in urban Lima. Tools such as the M@T could help general practitioners detect this condition before its progression to dementia.