Validation of the Spanish version of the Baylor Profound Mental Status Examination

J Alzheimers Dis. 2016;49(1):73-8. doi: 10.3233/JAD-150422.

Abstract

Background: There are no short valid instruments to evaluate cognitive status in severe Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in the Spanish language.

Objective: To validate the Spanish version of the Baylor Profound Mental Status Examination (BPMSE-Sp).

Methods: The Baylor Profound Mental Status Examination (BPMSE) was translated to Spanish and back translated. Validation was conducted in 100 patients with severe probable AD with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) <12. We assessed internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), concurrent validity (Pearson's correlations) with the MMSE, Severe Impairment Battery (SIB), Neuropsychiatric Inventory Short Form (NPI-Q) and the Functional Assessment Staging and reliability.

Results: The mean age of patients was 84.9; 74% were female; 64% were institutionalized. The mean MMSE was 5.6; the mean BPMSE-Sp was 13.6; the mean BPMSE-Sp behavior was 1.2; the mean SIB was 42.2; and the mean NPI-Q was 4.7. BPMSE-Sp presented good internal consistency (Cronbach α= 0.84). There were significant correlations between the BPMSE-Sp and MMSE (r = 0.86, p < 0.001), and between the BPMSE-Sp and SIB (r = 0.92, p < 0.001). Inter-rater and test-retest reliability were in both cases excellent, ranging between 0.96 and 0.99 (p < 0.001). BPMSE-Sp had fewer floor and ceiling effects than the MMSE.

Conclusions: The BPMSE-Sp is a valid tool for use in daily practice and research in the evaluation of cognitive function of patients with severe AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Baylor Profound Mental Status Examination; severe dementia; validation.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / complications*
  • Cognition
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Language
  • Male
  • Mental Status Schedule / standards*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Spain