Predictors of two-year mortality in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies

BACKGROUND/AIM: Data on adverse prognostic factors for mortality in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate two-year mortality predictors in patients with DLB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Individuals aged ≥ 60 years with a diagnosis of DLB, followed by a tertiary-referral geriatric outpatient clinic from 2006 to 2021, were assessed retrospectively using medical or patient records. The mortality status of the patients in the second year after diagnosis was determined. Demographic and clinical characteristics were reviewed to determine their impact on mortality prediction. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients with DLB participated in this study. The mean age was 78.9 ± 6.6 years, and 49.1% were females. At the end of the two-year follow-up, 23 patients (21.3%) died and 85 patients (78.7%) were still alive. Malnutrition, and cognitive and functional impairments were significantly more common in the mortality group. Age, female sex, functional impairment, moderate-to-severe clinical dementia rating, and malnutrition were associated with an increased mortality risk. On the multivariable analysis, malnutrition (HR = 5.00; 95% CI: 1.64–15.24; p: 0.005) was the only independent predictor of two-year-mortality. CONCLUSION: Patients with DLB had an unfavorable survival outcomes. Approaches to prevent malnutrition can improve prognosis and reduce early mortality in this vulnerable group. However, further studies are needed to determine mortality risk factors in this population.