title: Vascular risk factors aggravate the progression of Alzheimer's disease: a 3-year follow-up study of Chinese population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the correlation of vascular risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 123 outpatients with probable AD followed up for 3 years were investigated. Severity of cognitive impairment and functional ability was assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and modified activities of daily living (ADLs), respectively. The incidence of vascular risk factors was studied in patients with AD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Univariate analysis showed significance difference in MMSE and ADL scores between patients with and without vascular risk factors (P < .05). Multiple regression analysis showed age, education, hyperhomocysteinemia, and hypertension were significant variables associated with annual MMSE, while there were no significant correlations between annual MMSE and sex, initial MMSE, diabetes, and so on.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vascular risk factors are common comorbidities in patients with AD in China, with younger, better educated ones showing faster cognitive decline. Hypertension and hyperhomocysteinemia may also aggravate the progression, and it is important to prevent and treat patients with AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, China qiaojn123@163.com.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Hui
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Qiu-Min
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Qu
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D044466:Asian People; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; cognition; progression; vascular risk factors