veterans affairs Saint Louis University mental status exam (slums exam) and the mini-mental status exam as predictors of mortality and institutionalization

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate predictive validity of cognitive dysfunction of the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam or Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) for institutionalization and mortality after 7.5-years. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. SETTING: Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center Veterans Affairs Hospital St. Louis, MO. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=705) were screened for cognitive dysfunction in 2003 using the SLUMS exam and MMSE, and mortality and institutionalization up to 7.5-years later were evaluated as outcome measures. MEASUREMENT: The associations between outcome measures and MMSE and SLUMS exam total scores, and cognitive status were examined using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional-hazards regression. RESULTS: Five hundred thirty-three charts were reviewed, 176/533(33%) patients had died and 31/526 (6%) were institutionalized during 7.5-year follow-up period. All subjects were male with a mean age of 75 years and most had high school education or greater (71%). MMSE dementia, SLUMS dementia (ps