Influence of the carer's expressed emotion on the course and twelve-month outcome of patients with alzheimer's disease

Aim: To investigate whether the baseline levels of expressed emotion (EE) in the informal carers of AD sufferers influences the course or the outcome of the illness over a 12-month follow-up period.;Methods: 75 patients living in non-institutional settings and their informal carers were assessed at baseline. The assessments included: patients' cognitive, functional, and physical health status, and non-cognitive psychological and behavioural symptoms; carers EE status (using the modified Camberwell Family Interview Schedule (CFI)); carers; general health and their distress levels; and any formal help received in the preceding 6 months. At 2 and 12-month follow-up, 51 and 49 respectively of those patients who were alive, and had not changed their domicile were reassessed. All baseline assessments except CFI were repeated.;Results: 31 Carers (41%) had high EE at baseline. High and low EE groups were comparable at baseline. 4 Subjects (5%) either died or were permanently institutionalised over the twelve-month follow-up. No significant differences were noted in the course or the outcome between the two groups. The baseline levels of the carer strain, and general health; patients' cognitive and functional impairments; non-cognitive symptoms and physical health status did not influence the course or the outcome.;Conclusion: In this sample, the informal carers' level of EE did not influence the course of the illness or the probability of death and institutionalisation over a 12-month follow-up.