Question

Your GP’s use the MMSE( mini mental )  examination. As a practice Nurse you have been asked to evaluate the two instruments available the MMSE and GPCOG( general practitioner assessment of recognition )   how would you go about this?

Answer 1

We will employ robust systematic review methods to assess studies of diagnostic accuracy where both the MMSE and GPCOG have been evaluated as direct comparisons,i.e. within the same study population . This approach will enable us to minimise between study heterogeneity , to eliminate the risk of bias due to confounding and increase the opportunity to make clinically useful and useable comparisons of diagnostic accuracy across both the MMSE and GPCOG . This systematic review will be conducted using a pragmatic search strategy , refining searches that build upon studies identified as part of our overview of systematic reviews of the diagnostic accuracy of brief cognitive assessments for identifying dementia in primary care.

Through this systematic review, we aim to improve existing evidence on how the diagnostic accuracy of MMSE and GPCOG compares when used to identify dementia within the family practice setting. We also aim to make clinical practice recommendations based upon the variations in diagnostic accuracy identified between the MMSE and GPCOG.