Dependency scale to track Alzheimer's disease progression

This technology is a scale that measures the impact of functional disability in Alzheimer’s disease to determine the level of supervision and care required by a patient.

Unmet Need: A tool to assess service needs of Alzheimer’s patients

Current tools for measuring Alzheimer’s disease metrics are plentiful and often related to degree of cognitive decline, functional limitations, and caregiver burden. While admission to a care facility is typically considered an endpoint in the natural progression of disease, this does not consider the needs of the patient and nonmedical factors, such as familial considerations. There is a need for a more sensitive and comprehensive scale to estimate the impact of disease on the patient and others and assess levels of needs throughout disease progression.

The Technology: A standardized scale rating patient dependence in progression of dementia

This technology is a dependence scale designed to assess the degree to which patients with Alzheimer’s disease require supervision and care. Psychometric properties of the scale were established and made to be available in over 50 different languages. High reliability and validity were demonstrated through clinical tests and correlation with other metrics of Alzheimer’s disease. This scale effectively shows that dependency is a distinct and measurable component of dementia that can serve as a sensitive outcome over the course of disease progression.

This technology has been validated with patient data and used in various clinical trials.

Applications:

• Tool for epidemiologic research on Alzheimer’s disease
• Clinical endpoint to test drug candidates for Alzheimer’s disease
• Database to predict patient-specific required levels of care

Advantages:

• Correlated to other metrics of disease severity and progression
• Only scale establishing dependency as outcome
• High reliability and validity
• Available in over 50 different languages

Lead Inventor:

Yaakov Stern, PhD

Related Publications:

• Stern Y, Albert SM, Sano M, Richards M, Miller L, Folstein M, Albert M, Bylsma FW, Lafleche G. Assessing patient dependence in Alzheimer’s disease. J Gerontol. 1994 Sep; 49(5): M216-22.

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU12320

• Licensing Contact: Dovina Qu