Guang-Xiang Yu1,2, Ting Zhang3, Xiao-He Hou4, Ya-Nan Ou4, Hao Hu4, Zuo-Teng Wang4, Yu Guo4, Wei Xu4, Lin Tan4, Jin-Tai Yu3, Lan Tan3,3. 1. Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. 2. Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. 3. Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. 4. Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence supports an important role of vascular risk in cognitive decline and dementia. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine whether vascular risk was associated with cognitive decline, cerebral hypometabolism, and clinical progression in cognitively intact elders. METHODS: Vascular risk was assessed by the Framingham Heart Study general Cardiovascular disease (FHS-CVD) risk score. The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of FHS-CVD risk score with cognition and brain glucose metabolism were explored using multivariate linear regression and linear mixed effects models, respectively. The risk of clinical progression conversion was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: A total of 491 cognitively intact elders were included from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. Participants with high FHS-CVD risk scores had lower baseline Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (p = 0.009), executive function (EF) (p < 0.001), memory function (MEM) (p < 0.001) scores, and F18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) uptake (p < 0.001) than those with low FHS-CVD risk scores. In longitudinal analyses, individuals with higher FHS-CVD risk scores had greater longitudinal declines in MMSE (p = 0.043), EF (p = 0.029) scores, and FDG-PET uptake (p = 0.035). Besides, individuals with a higher vascular risk had an increased risk of clinical progression (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: These findings indicated effects of vascular risk on cognitive decline, cerebral hypometabolism, and clinical progression. Early detection and management of vascular risk factors might be useful in the prevention of dementia.
BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence supports an important role of vascular risk in cognitive decline and dementia. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine whether vascular risk was associated with cognitive decline, cerebral hypometabolism, and clinical progression in cognitively intact elders. METHODS: Vascular risk was assessed by the Framingham Heart Study general Cardiovascular disease (FHS-CVD) risk score. The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of FHS-CVD risk score with cognition and brain glucose metabolism were explored using multivariate linear regression and linear mixed effects models, respectively. The risk of clinical progression conversion was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: A total of 491 cognitively intact elders were included from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. Participants with high FHS-CVD risk scores had lower baseline Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (p = 0.009), executive function (EF) (p < 0.001), memory function (MEM) (p < 0.001) scores, and F18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) uptake (p < 0.001) than those with low FHS-CVD risk scores. In longitudinal analyses, individuals with higher FHS-CVD risk scores had greater longitudinal declines in MMSE (p = 0.043), EF (p = 0.029) scores, and FDG-PET uptake (p = 0.035). Besides, individuals with a higher vascular risk had an increased risk of clinical progression (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: These findings indicated effects of vascular risk on cognitive decline, cerebral hypometabolism, and clinical progression. Early detection and management of vascular risk factors might be useful in the prevention of dementia.