Abstract
The clinical investigation of 63 patients with a hospital discharge diagnosis of dementia was reviewed. The review focused on the completeness of ancillary investigations to detect treatable causes of dementia, and on the follow-up examination to confirm the diagnosis. Patients admitted to specialized geriatric psychiatry beds were compared to those admitted to other hospital services. The clinical investigation of the groups did not differ significantly with the respect to the search for treatable dementias, and in this series no treatable cases were detected. The non-selective use of a battery of ancillary diagnostic tests is questioned. The most notable finding was the almost uniform absence of follow-up examinations to document progressive deterioration of cognitive function. The indication for such follow-up is discussed in the context of previously reported diagnostic inaccuracy in this syndrome.