Validation of the Arabic version of the short 10/66 dementia diagnostic schedule for the Lebanese population.

backgroundAs dementia becomes a major health concern, developing a quick and accurate diagnostic tool is crucial for early detection and intervention in resource-limited settings. This paper aims to validate the short 10/66 algorithm against the clinical diagnosis of dementia in a sample of older adults in Lebanon.

methodsThis study is a secondary analysis of data from the Lebanese validation of the standard 10/66 dementia assessment, evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of the Arabic short 10/66 algorithm against a clinical reference standard. 231 participants aged 65 + were recruited from institutions and their dwellings, including geriatric clinics and community-based primary care centers. Clinical dementia diagnosis followed DSM-IV criteria. The final sample included 88 cases (diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia) and 143 controls. The short algorithm used is derived from the Community Screening Instrument for Dementia, the CERAD 10-word list recall and the Euro-D. The psychometric parameters of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), Negative Predictive Value (NPV), false positive rate (FPR), and area under the curve (AUC) were estimated for the short 10/66 algorithm and its subcomponents.

resultsCompared to clinical diagnosis, the short 10/66 showed high specificity (95.1%), good sensitivity (79.5%), excellent PPV (90.9%), high NPV (88.3%), low FPR (4.9%), and substantial agreement between the two (AUC = 0.97, kappa = 0.765).

conclusionThe short 10/66 is accurate and feasible for the diagnosis of dementia in the older Lebanese population, offering a practical tool with a lower time requirement that is adaptable to different literacy levels. Interpretation of predictive values should consider the enriched sampling design, and performance should be further assessed in lower prevalence community settings.