Frequency of dementia with lewy bodies in a large memory clinic in Colombia: Results from a 6-month cross-sectional study using the lewy body composite risk score

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the six-month prevalence of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) in a Colombian memory clinic using the Lewy Body Composite Risk Score (LBCRS) and interdisciplinary consensus diagnosis, and to describe the scale's clinical performance parameters. METHODS: We analyzed data from 850 patients evaluated over six months at the Intellectus Memory Clinic in Bogotá, Colombia (HUSI). The LBCRS was applied in addition to a standardized interdisciplinary assessment that included clinical, paraclinical, and neuropsychological evaluations. Final diagnoses were established by consensus based on current international criteria for DLB. RESULTS: LBCRS data were available for 592 participants (69.6%). Of these, 42 (7.1%) screened positive (score ≥3), but only 5 (0.84%) received a consensus diagnosis of probable DLB. Six screened-positive patients were diagnosed with Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD); in three, cognitive symptoms developed within one year of motor onset and could alternatively be classified as DLB, increasing the number of DLB cases to 8. The remaining LBCRS-positive patients were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, mild cognitive impairment, or no cognitive disorder. LBCRS performance in this setting demonstrated a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 94.2%, positive predictive value of 19%, and negative predictive value of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: The low incidence of DLB identified by interdisciplinary assessment, together with the discrepancy between LBCRS screening and final diagnoses, underscores the need for further research on the applicability and predictive value of LBCRS in Latin America.