title: Pulse wave velocity and cognitive decline in elders: the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Arterial stiffness is a measure of subclinical cardiovascular disease and increases with age. This study examines the association between arterial stiffness and cognitive decline in a cohort of older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2488 subjects with baseline measure of arterial stiffness (mean age, 74.2 years; 52.3% women) were prospectively followed over 9 years in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study. Arterial stiffness was measured as pulse wave velocity (PWV) and analyzed in tertiles. Cognitive function was assessed using the Modified Mini-Mental State examination at baseline and repeated at years 3, 5, 8, and 10. Lower Modified Mini-Mental State examination scores indicate worse function. We fit linear mixed models to examine longitudinal changes in cognitive function over the 9 years of follow-up and logistic regression models, restricted to 1331 participants, to examine cognitive impairment defined as a decrease of ≥5 points after 9 years. We adjusted for sociodemographics, Apoe4, and cardiovascular disease risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The annual decrease in Modified Mini-Mental State examination scores was 0.30 points at low PWV (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.37 to -0.22), 0.46 points at middle PWV (95% CI, -0.54 to -0.39), and 0.45 points at high PWV (95% CI, -0.53 to -0.38), from fully adjusted linear mixed models. In fully adjusted models, the odds of cognitive impairment after 9 years of follow-up was 40% greater for subjects with middle PWV (odds ratio [OR], 1.40; 95% CI, 1.03-1.92) and 59% greater for subjects with high PWV (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.16-2.18), compared with low PWV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High arterial stiffness was modestly associated with cognitive decline and impairment. Interventions to prevent arterial stiffness may be effective in delaying cognitive decline.
authors: Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, 185 Berry St, Lobby 5, Suite 5700, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA. Adina.zekialhazzouri@ucsf.edu
authors: Adina
authors: A
authors: Zeki Al Hazzouri
authors: Anne B
authors: AB
authors: Newman
authors: Eleanor
authors: E
authors: Simonsick
authors: Kaycee M
authors: KM
authors: Sink
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Sutton Tyrrell
authors: Nora
authors: N
authors: Watson
authors: Suzanne
authors: S
authors: Satterfield
authors: Tamara
authors: T
authors: Harris
authors: Kristine
authors: K
authors: Yaffe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*