Risk factors of cognitive decline in residential care in Hungary.
OBJECTIVE
The incidence of dementia is known to vary between nations due to population specific interactions of genetic and epigenetic risk factors. Since this type of data was missing from the Central-Eastern part of Europe, especially from Hungary, an ongoing prospective multicentre study was initiated 3 years ago to determine the impact of some well-known social and biological dementia risk factors and the prevalences and conversion rates of dementia and depression syndromes.


METHODS
As part of this work, the effects of age, gender, education, smoking and alcohol consumption were investigated in residental homes-based cohort of more than 2,100 elderly.


RESULTS
Forty-eight percent of the entire population showed clinical signs of cognitive decline. Eighteen percent, 22%, 16% and 10% were classified as mild cognitive impairment, mild, moderate and severe stages of cognitive decline, respectively. Considered individually, all the examined dementia risk factors were significantly related to the presence of the cognitive decline. Age, female gender and regular drinking increased the risk, while smoking, higher level of education and occasional or former history of alcohol consumption were protective factors. The male gender associated regular alcohol consumption represented the strongest risk, especially with low education levels. When the different severity subgroups were compared, similar risk tendencies have been observed, but the most robust effects were associated with the most severe stages.


CONCLUSIONS
The well-known dementia risk and protective factors are confirmed in our study. Taking these variables into consideration, the Hungarian cohort is similar to other ethnic groups in Europe.
Vincze
Gábor
G
Department of Psychiatry, Békés County Hospital, Gyula, Hungary.
Almos
Péter
P
Boda
Krisztina
K
Döme
Péter
P
Bódi
Nikoletta
N
Szlávik
Gyozo
G
Maglóczki
Erzsébet
E
Pákáski
Magdolna
M
Janka
Zoltán
Z
Kálmán
János
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects