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. 2024 Jan 9;7(1):5.
doi: 10.5334/joc.330. eCollection 2024.

Mini-ACE: Validation Study Among Older People in Long-Term Care

Alexandra Grasina  1 , Helena Espirito-Santo  1   2   3 , Laura Lemos  1   2 , Maria Manuela Vilar  4 , Luís Simões-Cunha  5   6 , Fernanda Daniel  7
Affiliations

Mini-ACE: Validation Study Among Older People in Long-Term Care

Alexandra Grasina et al. J Cogn. .

Abstract

Background: The Mini-Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (M-ACE) is a valid and reliable tool that accurately differentiates various types of cognitive impairment from Normal-cognition assessed in multiple settings. However, its validity among older individuals in long-term care (LTC) was not yet established. Therefore, we sought to assess the Portuguese M-ACE's validity, reliability, and accuracy in detecting cognitive impairment no-dementia (CIND) in LTC users.

Methods: A comprehensive assessment was performed on 196 LTC Portuguese users aged ≥ 60 years, among whom 71 had Normal-cognition, and 125 had CIND.

Results: The M-ACE was found to be reliable (McDonald's ω = .86, Cronbach's α = .85) and consistent over time (r = .72; ICC = .83) and between raters (k = .92). Strong correlations with related measures supported construct validity (both r = .67). The M-ACE accurately distinguished CIND from Normal-cognition with a cut-off of 17 points (AUC = 0.81, Sensitivity = 81.7%, Specificity = 74.4%).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the Portuguese M-ACE is a valid and reliable cognitive assessment tool for LTC users, allowing for accurate differentiation between CIND and Normal-cognition. Thus, the M-ACE's use could contribute to the early detection and intervention of cognitive disorders, especially among older adults in LTC.

Keywords: M-ACE; cognitive assessment; cognitive impairment; long-term care; older adults.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Figures

Figure 1 Bar graph showing the distribution of M-ACE scores across CIND and normal cognition groups
Figure 1
Distribution of M-ACE Scores in Individuals with CIND and Normal Cognition. Note: M-ACE = Mini-Addenbrooke Cognitive Examination; CIND = cognitive impairment no-dementia.
ROC curve comparing M-ACE’s true positive and false positive rates
Figure 2
ROC Curve for the M-ACE in Differentiating CIND vs. Normal-cognition. Note: M-Addenbrooke Cognitive Examination; CIND = cognitive impairment nodementia.
Bar graph showing M-ACE scores for CIND and normal groups with 95% CI
Figure 3
Bar plot of M-ACE Mean Scores in CIND and Normal-cognition Groups with 95%CI. Note: M-Addenbrooke Cognitive Examination; CIND = cognitive impairment no-dementia.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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