An assessment of the so called point of reversibility of dementia syndrome in making an effective prognosis for continued use of medication.

BACKGROUND: An effort to share our many years of clinical experience.

OBJECTIVE: To predict the effectiveness of medication in advanced phases of dementia in the light of pharmaceutical economics and to find the most suitable alternative treatments.

METHODS: Use of 3 commonly available geriatric tests Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Activity of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL). Threshold values of these tests, after mathematical transformation to comparable values, enables calculation of the hypothetical Point of Reversibility Pr found on the range here called MEKO.

RESULTS: Estimated values of SD can be used to choose the most effective medical treatment.

CONCLUSION: Beyond the upper threshold of S(D), on the basis of the above mentioned method, continued medication is of dubious value.