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The Italian version of the quick mild cognitive impairment (Qmci-I) screen: normative study on 307 healthy subjects

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Abstract

Objective

To devise an Italian version of the quick mild cognitive impairment screen (Qmci) and to obtain normative data.

Methods

An Italian version of the Qmci screen (Qmci-I) was administered to 307 subjects free from cognitive impairment. The normative sample was divided into three age levels (50–59; 60–69 and 70–80 years) and four education levels (3–5; 6–8; 9–13; >13 years of school attendance). Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the effect of age, sex and schooling on Qmci-I scores (overall and by domains) and to calculate cut-off values, with reference to the confidence interval on the fifth centile.

Results

The mean Qmci-I score was 64/100 (SD = 11). The age variable showed a significant negative effect on the overall Qmci-I score, with older people performing worse than younger ones. Conversely, education was associated with higher scores. Significant effects of age and education affected logical memory alone. For the other domains, the following effects were found: (1) higher age associated with lower scores on delayed recall; (2) higher education levels associated with higher scores on immediate recall, clock drawing and word fluency. The adjusted cut-off score for the Qmci-I screen in this sample was 49.4. Qmci-I scores were weakly correlated with those of MMSE (rho = 0.20).

Conclusions

The Qmci-I is a rapid and multi-domain short cognitive screening instrument useful for evaluating cognitive functions. However, like other screening tools, it is significantly influenced by age and education, requiring normative data and correction of values when used in the clinical practice.

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Acknowledgements

Michele Arcopinto (Department of Clinical Medicine & Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy), Patrizia Cuccaro (Research and Development Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Federico II, Naples, Italy), Simona De Chiara (G.P. office, Napoli, Italia), Natascia De Lucia (Department of Neurological, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italia), Carmine Del Giudice (Research and Development Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Federico II, Naples, Italy), Nicola Ferrara (Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy), Vincenzo Girardi (G.P. office, Napoli, Italia), Iolanda Grimaldi(Research and Development Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Federico II, Naples, Italy), Ilaria Liguori (Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy), Francesco Orfila Pernas (Institut Universitari d’Investigació en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spagna), Constança Paúl (Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal), Giovanni Tramontano (Research and Development Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Federico II, Naples, Italy),Francesca Saveria Tripodi (Frullone Geriatric Center, ASL Napoli 1 Centro, Naples, Italy).

Funding

None of the authors received any funding for this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurological Unit, CTO Hospital, AORN “Ospedali dei Colli”, Naples, Italy

    Alessandro Iavarone & Elisabetta Garofalo

  2. Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy

    Michele Carpinelli Mazzi, Francesco D’Anna & Alfredo Postiglione

  3. Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy

    Gennaro Russo & Pasquale Abete

  4. Department of Neurological, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy

    Silvio Peluso & Giuseppe De Michele

  5. Department of Medicine, Surgery and Odontoiatry, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy

    Pietro Mazzeo & Guido Iaccarino

  6. Research and Development Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Federico II, Naples, Italy

    Vincenzo De Luca

  7. Frullone Geriatric Center, ASL Napoli 1 Centro, Naples, Italy

    Graziella Milan

  8. Italian Association of Alzheimer’s Patients (AIMA Campania), Naples, Italy

    Caterina Musella

  9. Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation, St Finbarrs Hospital, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Rónán O’Caoimh & William Molloy

  10. Health Research Board, Clinical Research Facility Galway, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

    Rónán O’Caoimh

  11. Health’s Innovation Unit, Campania Region, Naples, Italy

    Maddalena Illario

  12. Neurophisiology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera di Rilievo Nazionale Antonio Cardarelli, Naples, Italy

    Gabriella De Joanna

  13. Neurology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera di Rilievo Nazionale Antonio Cardarelli, Naples, Italy

    Valentino Manzo

  14. Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università degli Studi “Parthenope”, Naples, Italy

    Ferdinando Ivano Ambra

Authors
  1. Alessandro Iavarone
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  2. Michele Carpinelli Mazzi
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  3. Gennaro Russo
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  4. Francesco D’Anna
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  5. Silvio Peluso
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  6. Pietro Mazzeo
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  7. Vincenzo De Luca
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  8. Giuseppe De Michele
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  9. Guido Iaccarino
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  10. Pasquale Abete
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  11. Graziella Milan
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  12. Elisabetta Garofalo
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  13. Caterina Musella
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  14. Rónán O’Caoimh
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  15. William Molloy
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  16. Gabriella De Joanna
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  17. Valentino Manzo
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  18. Ferdinando Ivano Ambra
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  19. Alfredo Postiglione
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  20. Maddalena Illario
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Consortia

the Working Group

  • Michele Arcopinto
  • , Patrizia Cuccaro
  • , Simona De Chiara
  • , Natascia De Lucia
  • , Carmine Del Giudice
  • , Nicola Ferrara
  • , Vincenzo Girardi
  • , Iolanda Grimaldi
  • , Ilaria Liguori
  • , Francesco Orfila Pernas
  • , Constança Paúl
  • , Giovanni Tramontano
  •  & Francesca Saveria Tripodi

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alessandro Iavarone.

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Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Human and animal rights

This study was approved by the local ethics committee and carried out according to the Declaration of Helsinki.

Informed consent

All subjects gave informed consent to the study.

Additional information

The members of the Working Group are provided in the Acknowledgements section.

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Iavarone, A., Carpinelli Mazzi, M., Russo, G. et al. The Italian version of the quick mild cognitive impairment (Qmci-I) screen: normative study on 307 healthy subjects. Aging Clin Exp Res 31, 353–360 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-018-0981-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-018-0981-2

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