Alzheimer’s Disease with Vascular Component: A Distinct Clinical Entity

Abstract

Background: Longitudinal reports on the clinical features of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and concomitant cerebrovascular disease are scarce. Methods: We elaborated a working definition of AD with vascular component (ADVC), and this definition was retrospectively investigated in a cohort of patients with cognitive deterioration who were prescribed a cholinesterase inhibitor during usual practice. Results: A total of 137 patients with probable AD and 66 patients with ADVC were studied during a mean follow-up period of 2.8 years. Univariate analyses demonstrated worse functional evolution and anticipation of psychotic symptoms and agitation in the ADVC group. Conclusions: The present results are consistent with an additive model of predominantly frontal-subcortical vascular damage in AD.