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New research · Neurology
BMJ open · 23h
Cross-sectionalBMJ open · 2026

Cross-sectional analysis of variation in diagnosis of Lewy body dementia in three English regions: data from the DETERMIND programme.

Calum A Hamilton, Alan J Thomas, Paul C Donaghy … Sube Banerjee
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NeurologyCross-sectional

Higher rates of Lewy body dementia diagnosis are associated with North East England.

Cross-sectional analysis of variation in diagnosis of Lewy body dementia in three English regions: data from the DETERMIND programme.

Calum A Hamilton et al. · BMJ open · 2026
Purpose

We aimed to examine regional differences in the relationship between core clinical features assessed using the Improving the DIAgnosis and Management Of Neurodegenerative Dementias of Lewy body type in the NHS (DIAMOND-Lewy) dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) Assessment Toolkit and memory service diagnoses of Lewy body dementia (LBD).

Methods

935 individuals with a new memory service diagnosis of dementia enrolled in the DETERMinants of quality of life, care and costs, and consequences of INequalities in people with Dementia and their carers (DETERMIND) programme.

n = 935 individuals
Results

Risk of Lewy body dementia diagnosis was 1.72 times higher in North East England.

RR 1.72 (95% CI 1.35 to 2.08)
null 1
1.35
2.08
CI excludes the null - significant
More results

All core clinical features of DLB were associated with LBD diagnosis in North East England, whereas visual hallucinations were the most influential diagnostic feature in London and the South East (RR=3.18 (2.29-4.02)).

“
Conclusion · 1 of 2

Regional differences in LBD diagnosis in UK memory services appear to reflect different rates of recognition of specific LBD clinical features.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Routinely using a standardised DLB Assessment Toolkit and improving awareness of non-hallucination features in LBD could help to address this disparity.

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