Lipid-lowering treatment is related to decreased risk of dementia: a population-based study (FINRISK).
BACKGROUND
Several lines of evidence have linked cholesterol to dementia.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate lipid-lowering drug use and dementia development in a Finnish population.


METHODS
FINRISK is a large population-based survey of cardiovascular risk factors carried out since 1972 every 5 years using independent, random and representative population samples from different parts of Finland. Several cohorts were part of the WHO-MONICA study. Data from cohorts 1972-2002 were linked to the Hospital Discharge Registry and Drug Reimbursement Registry (1995-2007) to ascertain dementia diagnoses and lipid-lowering treatment. Selection criteria for the study were: (1) alive and without dementia in 1995; (2) age > or = 60 years (in 1995 for earlier cohorts and in 1997 or 2002 for later cohorts; (3) treatment prescribed at least 1 year before dementia diagnosis.


RESULTS
17,597 persons were included in the study. Lipid-lowering treatment was related to decreased dementia risk. In Cox proportional hazards model, hazard ratio (95% CI) was 0.42 (0.37-0.49; controlled for age, sex, education, survey region, survey year, baseline cholesterol, body mass index and systolic blood pressure).


CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary results from the FINRISK study indicate that lipid-lowering drugs may have a beneficial effect in dementia prevention. Further data linkage is ongoing in order to investigate the roles of different types of lipid-lowering drugs.
Solomon
A
A
Department of Neurology, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland. alina.solomon@uku.fi
Sippola
R
R
Soininen
H
H
Wolozin
B
B
Tuomilehto
J
J
Laatikainen
T
T
Kivipelto
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D002784:Cholesterol