Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Question: What is the difference between early- and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and what are the diagnosis codes for each type?

Oregon Subscriber

Answer: Age is the most critical distinction — but it isn’t always the only difference between the two Alzheimer’s presentations.

The basics: Early-onset Alzheimer’s develops before the patient turns 65; though it is rare, Alzheimer’s can even develop in people during their 30s. Code this condition with G30.0 (Alzheimer's disease with early onset). Late-onset Alzheimer’s develops when the patient is 65 or older. Code this condition with G30.1 (Alzheimer's disease with late onset).

While age is the deciding factor for early- and late-onset Alzheimer’s, there are some other differences that might appear between the two.

Here’s a look at some potential differences between early- and late-onset Alzheimer’s presentations:

• When a patient develops early-onset Alzheimer’s, there is a stronger — but not automatic — association with certain inherited genetic variants. Some early-onset cases result from variants that directly cause the disease, according to the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s) National Library of Medicine.
• Most patients who develop Alzheimer’s report memory loss, but early-onset patients are more likely to present with problems involving language, visual/spatial processing, executive functioning, or other cognitive abilities, according to the NIA.
• According to the Alzheimer’s Association, early-onset Alzheimer’s can be difficult to diagnose since physicians might not suspect the disease in a younger patient. Symptoms can initially be attributed to stress, depression, menopause, or other conditions.

Chris Boucher, MS, CPC, Senior Development Editor, AAPC