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Study objective: To quantify the increase in mailed questionnaire response attributable to a monetary incentive. Design: A systematic search for randomised controlled trials of monetary incentives and mailed questionnaire response was conducted. For each trial identified, logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio for response per $0.01 incentive increase. Odds ratios were pooled in a series of random effect meta-analyses stratified by the minimum and maximum amounts offered. Piecewise logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio for response per $0.01 increase given in each of five incentive ranges. Setting: Populations in several developed countries, predominantly the USA. Participants: 85 671 randomised participants from 88 trials. Main results: The pooled odds ratios for response per $0.01 incentive decreased monotonically as the maximum amount of incentive offered increased. The piecewise logistic regression model estimated that for incentive amounts up to $0.50, each additional $0.01 increased the odds of response by about 1% (pooled OR =1.012, 95%Cl 1.007 to 1.016). The effects on response above $0.50 were smaller and decreased monotonically in the ranges: $0.50-0.99, $1-1.99, $2-4.99, $5.00 and over, but remained statistically significant up to $5. Conclusions: This meta-analysis of the best available evidence shows that monetary incentives increase mailed questionnaire response. Researchers should include small amounts of money with mailed questionnaires rather than give no incentive at all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Determining the relationship between age and Alzheimer's disease (AD) presentation is important to improve understanding and provide better patient services., Methods: We used AD patient data (N = 7815) from the National Alzheimer Coordinating Center database and multinomial logistic regression to investigate presentation age and first cognitive/behavioral symptoms., Results: The odds of having a nonmemory first cognitive symptom (including impairment in judgment and problem solving, language, and visuospatial function) increased with younger age (P < .001, all tests). Compared with apathy/withdrawal, the odds of having depression and "other" behavioral symptoms increased with younger age (P < .02, both tests), whereas the odds of having psychosis and no behavioral symptom increased with older age (P < .001, both tests)., Discussion: There is considerable heterogeneity in the first cognitive/behavioral symptoms experienced by AD patients. Proportions of these symptoms change with age with patients experiencing increasing nonmemory cognitive symptoms and more behavioral symptoms at younger ages., (Copyright © 2015 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)