Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39800401›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Digital screening tool for the assessment of cognitive impairment in unsupervised setting-digiDEM-SCREEN: study protocol for a validation study.

Michael Zeiler, Nikolas Dietzel, Klaus Kammerer, Ulrich Frick, Rüdiger Pryss, Peter Heuschmann, Hans-Ulrich Prokosch, Elmar Graessel, Peter L Kolominsky-Rabas

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Michael Zeiler *Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometrics and Epidemiology, Medical Informatics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-7267-9764
Nikolas Dietzel *Interdisciplinary Center for Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Public Health (IZPH), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany nikolas.dietzel@fau.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5820-3738
Klaus KammererInstitute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry (ICE-B), Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8998-0890
Ulrich FrickInstitute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry (ICE-B), Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Rüdiger PryssInstitute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry (ICE-B), Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Peter HeuschmannInstitute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry (ICE-B), Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Hans-Ulrich ProkoschInstitute for Medical Informatics, Biometrics and Epidemiology, Medical Informatics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Elmar GraesselDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Center for Health Services Research in Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
Peter L Kolominsky-RabasInterdisciplinary Center for Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Public Health (IZPH), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7168-058X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDementia is one of the most relevant widespread diseases, with a prevalence of currently 55 million people with dementia worldwide. However, about 60-75% of people with dementia have not yet received a formal diagnosis. Asymptomatic screening of cognitive impairments using neuropsychiatric tests has been proven to efficiently enhance diagnosis rates. Digital screening tools, in particular, provide the advantage of being accessible without spatial or time restrictions. The study aims to validate a digital cognitive screening test (digiDEM-SCREEN) as an app in the German language. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a multicentre study in Bavaria. Participants are people with mild cognitive impairment, people with dementia in an early stage and cognitively healthy people. Recruitment will take place in specialised diagnostic facilities (memory outpatient clinics). 135 participants are aimed based on a power analysis. Sociodemographic data, diagnosis and results of neuropsychiatric tests (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, digiDEM-SCREEN) will be collected at one point per person via electronic data capturing. The sensitivity, specificity and corresponding cut-off values will be determined based on receiver-operating-characteristic curves. The correlation of the digiDEM-SCREEN test with existing cognitive screening/testing procedures will be analysed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study obtained ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of the Julius-Maximilians-Universität of Würzburg (JMU) (application number: 177/23-sc). The test will give feedback about the current cognitive status and possible cognitive impairments that should lead to the users seeking further diagnostic measures by medical professionals. It will be accessible free of charge in established app stores. The results of the validation study will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionDementiaMass ScreeningMobile ApplicationsNeuropsychological TestsAgedFemaleGermanyHumansMaleMental Status and Dementia TestsMulticenter Studies as TopicSensitivity and SpecificityValidation Studies as TopicChronic DiseaseCognitionDementiaeHealthGERIATRIC MEDICINE

Identifiers

PMID39800401
PMCPMC11752055

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.