Association of abnormal serum lipids in elderly persons with atherosclerotic vascular disease and dementia, atherosclerotic vascular disease without dementia, dementia without atherosclerotic vascular disease, and no dementia or atherosclerotic vascular disease.
BACKGROUND
Observational data have shown that the use of statins was associated with a lower prevalence of vascular dementia and of Alzheimer's disease.


METHODS
We investigated in an academic nursing home the association of dyslipidemia with atherosclerotic vascular disease (group 1), atherosclerotic vascular disease without dementia (group 2), dementia without atherosclerotic vascular disease (group 3), and no dementia or atherosclerotic vascular disease (group 4).


RESULTS
Increased serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was present in 36 of 50 group 1 patients (72%), in 34 of 50 group 2 patients (68%), in 34 of 50 group 3 patients (68%), and in 18 of 50 group 4 patients (36%) (p =.0003 for 1 versus 4; p = 0.001 for 2 versus 4 and 3 versus 4). Decreased serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was present in 34 of 50 group 1 patients (68%), in 35 of 50 group 2 patients (70%), in 32 of 50 group 3 patients (64%), and in 16 of 50 group 4 patients (32%) (p =.0003 for 1 versus 4; p =.0001 for 2 versus 4; p =.001 for 3 versus 4). Hypertriglyceridemia was not significantly different in the 4 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of increased serum LDL cholesterol and decreased serum HDL cholesterol were significantly higher in elderly patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease plus dementia, atherosclerotic vascular disease without dementia, and dementia without atherosclerotic vascular disease than in patients with no dementia or atherosclerotic vascular disease.
Suryadevara
Vana
V
Divisions of Geriatrics, Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
Storey
Samantha G
SG
Aronow
Wilbert S
WS
Ahn
Chul
C
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL