Near vision impairment predicts cognitive decline: data from the Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the association between sensory impairment and cognitive decline in older Mexican Americans.


METHODS
A prospective cohort study.


METHODS
The Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly from five southwestern states.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 2,140 noninstitutionalized Mexican Americans aged 65 and older followed from 1993/1994 until 2000/2001.


METHODS
The outcome, cognitive function decline, was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination blind version (MMSE-blind) at baseline and at 2, 5, and 7 years of follow-up. Other variables were near vision, distance vision, hearing, demographics (age, sex, marital status, living arrangements, and education), depressive symptoms, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stroke, heart attack, and functional status. A general linear mixed model was used to estimate cognitive decline at follow-up.


RESULTS
In a fully adjusted model, MMSE-blind scores of subjects with near vision impairment decreased 0.62 points (standard error (SE)=0.29, P=.03) over 2 years and decreased (slope of decline) 0.13 points (SE=0.07, P=.045) more per year than scores of subjects with adequate near vision. Other independent predictors of cognitive decline were baseline MMSE-blind score, age, education, marital status, depressive symptoms, and number of activity of daily living limitations.


CONCLUSIONS
Near vision impairment, but not distance vision or hearing impairments, was associated with cognitive decline in older Mexican Americans.
Reyes-Ortiz
Carlos A
CA
Division of Geriatric Medicine, Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA. careyeso@utmb.edu
Kuo
Yong-Fang
YF
DiNuzzo
Anthony R
AR
Ray
Laura A
LA
Raji
Mukaila A
MA
Markides
Kyriakos S
KS
D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000453:epidemiology*