[Neuropsychological benefit of cataract surgery among sight impaired Alzheimer's patient]

Abstract

Purpose: Evaluation of neuropsychological benefits of cataract surgery for 46 Alzheimer patients on the basis of neuropsychiatric index (NPI), as the principal criterion of analysis of the VIVA study.

Methods: Prospective, monocentric neuropsychiatric study, performed from 2005 to 2011. All Alzheimer's patients with 10<MMS<25, with bilateral disabling cataract scheduled for surgery were included. Data assessment one month prior to and three months after surgery was performed, involving the patients and their caregivers.

Results and conclusion: Three months after surgery, Alzheimer's patients' visual acuity had improved (P<0.001). Three sections of the NPI improved. Sleep improved significantly (P=0.01). Dysphoric behavior and anxiety also improved but not statistically significantly. However, agitation statistically increased (P=0.04). There was a positive correlation between behavioral improvement in Alzheimer's patients and the burden on the caregivers (P<0.001).

Keywords: Alzheimer disease; Caregiver's burden; Cataract; Cataract surgery; Cataracte; Chirurgie de la cataracte; Dementia; Démence; Fardeau de l’aidant; Maladie d’Alzheimer; NPI; Neuropsychologic tests; Tests neuropsychologiques.