Previous hepatitis a virus infection is related to slower psychomotor speed in elderly adults.
BACKGROUND
Patients with chronic viral hepatitis are at a higher risk for cognitive dysfunction. Little is known about the association between hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection and cognitive function.


METHODS
From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2002, we selected study participants (> or =60 years, n = 1,529) without hepatitis B, C, or D virus infection; without previous hepatitis A vaccination; and without abnormal liver function. HAV-seropositive participants represented people with previous HAV infection. Psychomotor speed and executive functioning domain of cognitive function were measured by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST).


RESULTS
HAV-seropositive participants had lower DSST scores than HAV-seronegative participants (weighted mean, 44.4 vs 53.9, p < .001). We designated HAV-seronegative participants as the reference group. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the weighted beta coefficient of DSST score was -9.55 (95% confidence interval [CI] -9.57 to -9.54, p < .001) for the HAV-seropositive participants. In a multivariable model, the weighted adjusted beta coefficient of DSST score was -2.48 (95% CI -2.49 to -2.46, p < .001) for the HAV-seropositive participants.


CONCLUSIONS
HAV seropositivity is associated with slower psychomotor speed among the U.S. community-dwelling elders.
Hsieh
Cheng-Fang
CF
Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan.
Liu
Ching-Kuan
CK
Fang
Tzu-Jung
TJ
Yu
Yau-Hua
YH
Lai
Chiou-Lian
CL
Kuo
Hsu-Ko
HK
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors