Factors associated with vascular dementia in an elderly community population

Abstract

Objective Examination of associated factors for vascular dementia in comparison with Alzheimer's disease and a non‐demented control population. Setting A semi‐rural geographically defined population, in Melton Mowbray and the surrounding area, consisting of elderly patients aged 75 and over from a 13‐doctor general practice. Method 438 subjects, sampled according to results of initial screening with the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE), were examined using the Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination (CAMDEX), which was also used to classify the subtypes of dementia. Results 34 subjects had vascular dementia, 222 had Alzheimer's disease and 140 were non‐demented according to the clinician's diagnosis based on the CAMDEX criteria. Significant factors associated with vascular dementia, when compared to the Alzheimer's disease and non‐demented groups, were family history of stroke and diabetes. Stroke was also significant, but this factor is one of those defining the criteria for diagnostic grouping. There were no significant differences between groups for falls, heart attack, hypertension, head injury, substance abuse or lipid levels. Conclusion The results are broadly consistent with the published literature and emphasize the importance of diabetes as a key risk factor for vascular dementia. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Association of traumatic brain injury with subsequent neurological and psychiatric disease: a meta-analysis

“…3, 11, 17, 29, 43, 49, 70, 87 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 20, 22, 25, 27, 31, 32, 33, 37, 45, 47, 51, 55, 57, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 79, 80, 81, 85, 86, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98 Among the included papers, a sufficient number were found to apply meta-analytic methods for the diagnoses of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, mild cognitive impairment, depression, psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, and mixed affective disorder (a combined group of depression and anxiety). Insufficient numbers of studies were found to calculate a pooled OR for frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, or anxiety disorders.…”

Prevalence of Alzheimer's Dementia and Its Risk Factors in Community-Dwelling Elderly Koreans

“…ANOVA or t-tests were conducted to analyse group differences in terms of the demographic and metabolic syndrome data 17,18. Univariate adjusted logistic regression analyses were used to explore the separate associations of age, education, weight and GDS-K score with the presence of AD.…”

“…Known risk factors for AD include advanced age, female gender, lower educational level, cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, arrhythmia, hyperlipidemia, alcohol-related disorders, diabetes mellitus, and smoking. All of these can be modified or prevented to some degree 17,18…”

“…While hypertension is known to be a risk factor for cerebrovascular events and vascular dementia, recent studies show that midlife hypertension is also a risk factor for cognitive impairment and AD in later life 3,17. Cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes, have been hypothesized to play roles in the pathogenesis of AD and in the development of vascular dementia 19-22…”

Cerebral complications of hypertension

“…104,[116][117][118] A significant correlation with hypertension exists in all forms of vascular dementia. [118][119][120][121] Other risk factors include increasing age, 122 low education, 123 coronary heart disease, 122,124 atrial fibrillation, 125 diabetes, [126][127][128] transient ischaemic attacks and cerebrovascular accidents, 124 high hematocrit level 120 and smoking. 126 …”