title: Subjective cognitive complaints and mortality: does the type of complaint matter?
abstract: Middle-aged subjects report subjective cognitive complaints (SSCs) but whether these are meaningfully related to health remains unknown. We examined the association between SCCs, both amnestic and non-amnestic, and mortality in a middle-aged population after taking into account the role of depression. 15,510 participants (26.2% women), mean age 57.9 years in 2002, from the French GAZEL study provided data on 3 measures of SCCs: memory complaints, cognitive symptoms (forgetfulness, difficulties in recalling memories, retaining new information, mental calculation, in language, and orientation) and whether they sought medical advice for SCCs. All-cause mortality was assessed between 2002 and 2012. Over the follow-up 56.3% participants reported memory problems, 62.6% cognitive complaints, 22.3% sought medical advice and 651 died. All SCCs were strongly associated (odds ratio 2.08-6.35) with depression which was itself associated with greater mortality (HR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.50, 2.09). In analyses adjusted for age, sex, education, marital status and depression difficulty in mental calculation (HR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.60) and seeking medical advice for cognitive symptoms (HR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.18, 1.68) were significantly associated with mortality, while memory complaints did not carry increased risk (HR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.79, 1.09). All SCCS were strongly associated with depression but not all carried excess risk of mortality.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Bât 15/16, 16 Avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, 94807 VILLEJUIF CEDEX, France; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK; Centre de Gérontologie, Hôpital Ste Périne, AP-HP, France. Electronic address: Archana.Singh-Manoux@inserm.fr.
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh-Manoux
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dugravot
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ankri
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nabi
authors.forename: Claudine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berr
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zins
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimaki
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elbaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Dementia; Depression; Memory; Mild cognitive impairment; Mortality; Subjective cognitive complaints