Validation of the Mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination in Mild Cognitive Impairment in Arabic Speakers

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represents a target for early detection and intervention in dementia, yet there is a shortage of validated screening tools in Arabic to diagnose MCI. The mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (m-ACE) is a brief cognitive battery that is scored out of 30 and can be administered in under 5 min providing a quick screening tool for assessment of cognition. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> We aimed to validate the m-ACE in Arabic speakers in Egypt with MCI to provide cut-off scores. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We included 24 patients with MCI and 52 controls and administered the Arabic version of the m-ACE. <b><i>Results:</i></b> There was a statistically significant difference (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001) on the total m-ACE score between MCI patients (mean 18.54, SD 3.05) and controls (mean 24.54, SD 2.68). There was also a statistically significant difference between MCI patients and controls on the total score and the fluency, visuospatial, and memory recall sub-scores of the m-ACE (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.05). Performance on the m-ACE significantly correlated with both the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III). Using a receiver operator characteristic curve, the optimal cut-off score for MCI on the m-ACE total score was 21 out of 30 (87.5% sensitivity, 84.6% specificity, and 85.5% accuracy). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> We validated the Arabic m-ACE in Egyptian patients with MCI and provided objective validation of it as a screening tool for MCI, with good sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy that is comparable to other translated versions of the m-ACE in MCI.