Metabolic syndrome and risk of dementia in older adults.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS; a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors including abdominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia, each of which has been individually associated with dementia) and incident dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD) in older adults before and after the age of 75.


METHODS
Prospective population-based cohort.


METHODS
An Italian municipality.


METHODS
A community-based sample of 749 subjects aged 65 and older who, in 1999/2000, were free of cognitive impairment and, in 2003/04, underwent follow-up for incident dementia.


METHODS
The relationship between incident overall dementia, AD, and VaD and MetS. Dementia was defined according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program criteria.


RESULTS
Risk of overall dementia and its subtypes was not associated with MetS or any MetS component in participants younger than 75. In participants aged 75 and older, MetS was associated with a lower risk of AD (hazard ratio (HR)=0.33, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.12-0.94) but not of VaD, and abdominal obesity was associated with a lower risk of overall dementia (HR=0.53, 95% CI=0.28-0.98).


CONCLUSIONS
MetS measured in late life is not associated with risk of dementia. After age 75, persons with MetS may even be at lower risk for AD.
Forti
Paola
P
Department of Internal Medicine, Ageing, and Nephrology, University Hospital S Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti, 9 - 40138 Bologna, Italy. paola.forti@unibo.it
Pisacane
Nicoletta
N
Rietti
Elisa
E
Lucicesare
Anna
A
Olivelli
Valentina
V
Mariani
Erminia
E
Mecocci
Patrizia
P
Ravaglia
Giovanni
G
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies