[Psychoneuroimmunological predictors for burden in older caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease].

Introduction: The responsibility of giving care to patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) may result in health changes in the older caregiver. It is important to explore the factors which influence the presence of care burden and to create strategies to face this condition. In this context, the aims of present study were to investigate the relationships between psychoneuroimmunological parameters and determine the predictors to burden in older caregivers of patients with AD.

Material And Methods: A total of 30 AD older caregivers participating in the «Cognitive and Functional Kinesiotherapy Program in Elderly with Alzheimer's disease«(PRO-CDA)», de Rio Claro, SP-Brazil, were submitted to an assessment protocol to evaluate the psychoneuroimmunological parameters. A descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regressions were performed.

Results: The mean age of caregivers was 71.3 (±9.3), and predominantly are first-grade relatives. The caregiver burden was associated with depressive symptoms (r=0.60, P<.001), caregiver distress (r=0.68, P<.001), and neuropsychiatric disorders of AD patients (r=0.53, P<.001). The multiple regression analysis confirmed depressive symptoms and neuropsychiatric disturbances as predictors of caregiver burden.

Conclusion: Caregiver burden is associated with, and influenced by parameters related to the caregiver psychological suffering and to characteristics inherent to AD. Thus, it is important to find strategies and implement non-pharmacological programs to provide support to older caregivers, and to assist in the treatment of patients with AD, in order to improve the integral health of this population.